Genealogical Resources: Special Collections
Questions? Ask us!
Archives and Manuscripts
Supreme Court of Louisiana Collection (Mss 106) 1813-1920
Case files include complete transcripts of lower court proceedings, including testimony and evidence, briefs filed on behalf of appellees and appellants, and judgments. Collection includes minute books, docket books and docket indexes. Full text of opinions can be searched online on campus via LexisNexis.
For more information, please review our guide to "Using the Supreme Court of Louisiana Historical Archives".
Orleans Parish School Board (Mss 147) 1841-1990
While records of most students are not available, there are some school registers from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. There is a lot of information on personnel appointments by the board, especially from 1898. While most minutes exist from the beginning, they are only indexed in bound volumes for 1916, and by card file 1916-1963. The Secretary’s Subject Files offer a means of getting into the more recent minutes. Collection also contains many photographs of individuals and schools.
New Orleans Typographical Union #17 (Mss 49) 1852-1946
One of the few antebellum Southern unions to leave records, the minute books are full of list of members and other items of interest.
Operative Plasterers’ and Cement Finishers’ International Association of the United States, Local #93 (Mss 24 & 29) 1917-1968
Early integrated trade union that included descendents of the African-American Creole community.
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (Mss 28, 55 &185) 1942-1972
Besides membership information, files also contain sworn affidavits of individuals harassed and assaulted by individuals and officials in the city.
Firemen’s Charitable Association of the Seventh District (Mss 125) 1876-1892
Minute book of this association Carrollton area volunteer fire companies.
Orleans Parish Board of Assessors (Mss 18) 1857, 1859
Three bound tax assessment field books entries by square, lot and individual.
Marcus Christian Collection (Mss 11)
A valuable collection for anyone interested in the history of New Orleans African-American community. Includes the manuscript “A Black History of Louisiana” prepared by the WPA Negro Writers Project out of Dillard University, as well as all the research materials and notes collected by Mr. Christian throughout his life. Includes many boxes of indexed notes on research in New Orleans newspapers from the 19th and 20th centuries.
Italian Clubs Collection (Mss 1) 1893-1963
Records and memorabilia from several New Orleans Italian Fraternal clubs.
Grandjean (Rene) Collection (Mss 85) 1858-1938
Besides photographs and records of the Black Creole Dubuclet family, this collection includes many séance registers of a spiritualist group, complete with transcripts of messages from “the other side” (primarily in French).
Societe des Jeunes Amis (Mss 25) 1885-1920
Records of the Black Creole fraternal organization includes reports, ledgers and minutes.
Druids (United Ancient Order of Druids New Orleans, Louisiana (Mss 3) 1895-1955
Records and memorabilia of the Grand Grove of Louisiana and its auxiliary groves.
Athenee Louisianais (Mss 16) 1913-1970
Records of a group of professional men of the French-speaking community in New Orleans, dedicated to the propagation of the language and culture of France.
Turngemeinde of New Orleans Collection (Mss 141) 1869-1875
Microfilmed letterbook of this German organization.
Italian Newspaper Collection (Mss 142) 1874-1964
Copies of two locally published Italian newspapers: L ‘Italo-Americano and La Voce Coloniale.
Charles Maduell Collection (Mss 261) 1836-1971
Photocopies of genealogical records to Maduell and related families.
Notarial Archives Collection (Mss 289) 1928-1962
Bound volumes of notarial acts processed by Milton E. Burglass and Cecil M. Burglass, and A Konrad Lagarde.
Audubon Park Commission (Mss 26) 1886-1960
Large collection of minutes, account books, photographs, scrapbooks and plans.
Abe Shushan Collection (Mss 23) 1899-1966
While not much on the individual or his family, this collection documents the creation of Shushan, later Lakefront, Airport.