Storyville and Jazz, 1917: An End and a Beginning

Though the citizens of New Orleans may not have known it at the time, the year 1917 was a pivotal moment in the city’s history. The first jazz recording, “Livery Stable Blues,” was released, and Storyville, the famed red-light district, closed. One hundred years later, the 2017 Williams Research Center Symposium, “Storyville and Jazz, 1917: An End and a Beginning,” examines the ways in which the neighborhood and the musical movement have shaped perceptions of New Orleans around the world.              

The symposium is presented in conjunction with the release of The Historic New Orleans Collection’s upcoming book, Guidebooks to Sin: The Blue Books of Storyville, New Orleans, by Pamela D. Arceneaux. The symposium will begin with a talk by Arceneaux, followed by a book signing and reception. The following day’s program will feature individual talks and a panel discussion by historians and musicologists. Admission rates vary. hnoc.org.