WELCOME TO THE CREOLE HERITAGE CENTER AT NSU!

The Creole Heritage Center opened its doors as a part of NSU in the fall of 1998 and became a respected and trusted leader of the “Creole Renaissance” – the movement to preserve and advocate for Louisiana Creoles and their heritage. We encourage you to explore our website and resources to learn more about Creoles and how the Center is building upon the successes of its first twenty-five years to continue empowering Creoles and meet its current mission of preserving, educating, and advocating the value and significance of the vibrant Louisiana Creole people and their culture.

Click here for our January 2024 update of activities at the CHC!

Click here for our December 2023 update of activities at the CHC!

Click here for our August 2023 update of activities at the CHC!

Click here for our April 2023 update of activities at the CHC!

Current Staff:

  • Dr. Kent W. Peacock, Director
  • Dr. Pete Gregory, Academic Advisor
  • Markita Hamilton-Small, CHC Clerk
  • Judy M. Rachal, CHC Clerk

Community Sponsors

NSU Partners

Upcoming Events

Join the Creole Heritage Center at these upcoming events by the CHC or our friends!

  • Nov 10-12: Louisiana Creole Research Association’s 19th Annual Conference (in New Orleans and Virtual); The Center will present at Sunday’s “Creole Chats” session; Visit https://www.lacreole.org/ for information and to register.

Make sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram and join our mailing list so you don’t miss any announcements!

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Our Vision

To revitalize, mobilize, and empower, for global recognition, Creole people and their contributions.

Our Mission

To preserve, educate, and advocate the value and significance of the vibrant Louisiana Creole people and their culture.

Our Core Values

  1. We proudly position ourselves as a leader and foremost authority on ALL things Creole.
  2. We pledge to connect and collaborate with our partners to promote and empower expertise and dignity in ALL Creole people.
  3. We work hard to ensure our preservation and education efforts are based on accuracy and community accountability.
  4. We promise to provide quick and friendly service to ALL people.
  5. We recognize and acknowledge ALL who wish to learn about Creole people, their history, and their culture.

Our Background

In 1979, residents of the Isle Brevelle community of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana established the St. Augustine Historical Society (SAHS). This volunteer, non-profit organization sought to preserve, interpret, and uphold the cultural heritage of the people of Isle Brevelle, commonly referred to as the Cane River Creoles.

By the 1990s, residents from Isle Brevelle, as well as other Creoles around the state of Louisiana and the nation, had begun to reconnect and proudly self-identify as Creole. Terrel Delphin, Jr. became a respected leader in this movement, while also serving as President of the SAHS. He was one of many who envisioned how this growing movement needed an entity that represented and empowered all Louisiana Creole communities and diaspora, could serve as a trusted source of information about Louisiana Creoles and their culture, and had a permanent home and staff.

The result was the Louisiana Creole Heritage Center at Northwestern State University (as it was originally titled). After the organization and meeting in May 1997 of an Advisory Council that represented Louisiana Creoles from throughout Louisiana and respected academics, the Louisiana Board of Regents and the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors approved the Center as an official research center at NSU. The Center officially opened its doors on the campus of NSU in the fall of 1998.

Throughout our history, the Center has worked alongside NSU’s other cultural heritage entities the Cammie G. Henry Research Center, the Louisiana Folklike Center, the Williamson Museum, and the now defunct Louisiana Regional Folklife Program; as well as been an active component of the Cane River National Heritage Area. The Center continues to receive salary and infrastructure funding from NSU’s School of Social Sciences and Applied Programs and Division of Academic Affairs, while our programming and publications rely heavily on funding from grants, business & organization sponsorships, and individuals.

Our Staff

  • Dr. Kent W. Peacock, Director
  • Dr. Pete Gregory, Academic Advisor
  • Shirley Dunn-Chevalier, Genealogy Coordinator
  • Markita Hamilton-Small, CHC Clerk

Our Advisory Council

The Creole Heritage Center is guided by an Advisory Council of up to fifteen voting members appointed by the President of Northwestern State University. Members serve up to two consecutive three-year terms and may continue to serve until a successor is appointed.

  • Chairperson: James Billeaudeau (Lafayette, LA)
  • Vice-Chairperson: Louis Metoyer (Sun City, CA)
  • Secretary: Marcus Jones (The Woodlands, TX)
  • Treasurer: Michael Fontenot (Lake Charles, LA)
  • NSU ex-officio member: Dr. Greg Handel (Natchitoches, LA)
  • Carla Roque Allen, Pharm.D. (Maumelle, AR)
  • Sandra Billeaudeau (Lafayette, LA)
  • Blaise LaCour (Natchitoches, LA)
  • Dr. Christophe Landry (Salt Lake City, UT)
  • Ashley Porche-Tassin (Baton Rouge, LA)
  • David Sigur (Alexandria, VA)

Our Advisory Council Emeritus Members

Emeritus Membership on the Center’s Advisory Council is a way to honor previous and still living voting members and maintain institutional and historical knowledge. Emeritus Members serve at their leisure until they request removal or are no longer living. Thus, the following list may not represent the full list of past Advisory Council members.

  • Kathleen Balthazar Heitzmann (Climax, NY)
  • Curtis Bordenave, Jr. (Bridge City, LA)
  • Gwendolyn Bordenave (New Orleans, LA)
  • Pam Breaux (Washington, DC)
  • Dr. Kathleen Byrd (Natchitoches, LA)
  • Patricia A. Cravins (Arnaudville, LA)
  • Winston DeCuir, Sr. (Baton Rouge, LA)
  • Daphne Delphin (Natchitoches, LA)
  • Lillie Delphin (Natchitoches, LA)
  • Theresa Delphin Morgan (Natchitoches, LA)
  • Ann Marie Domino (Baton Rouge, LA)
  • Donald Gallion (Natchez, LA)
  • Linda LeCompte (Lafayette, LA)
  • Carolyn LaCour-Llorens (Houston, TX)
  • Father James Moran (Rock Hill, SC)
  • Paul Donald Nelson (Lake Charles, LA)
  • Mary Metoyer Pinkie Rodriguez (Chicago, IL)
  • Gregory Osborn (New Orleans, LA)
  • Father Chad Partain (Alexandria, LA)
  • Vera Severin (Natchez, LA)

Support the CHC

Your support – financial and otherwise – is essential for the Creole Heritage Center to continue its work towards its mission of preserving, educating, and advocating the value and significance of the vibrant Louisiana Creole people and their culture.

The Center does receive financial support for salaries and infrastructure through Northwestern State University, but we rely on the financial support of others to:

  • Accomplish our Education, Event & Experiences, Exhibit, and Resource Services Initiatives identified in our 2023-2026 Strategic Plan
  • Increase accessibility to our resources & programs via Communication & Technology improvements
  • Improving collaboration across Creole communities & organizations to empower all Louisiana Creoles

All donations will be processed through the NSU Foundation & Alumni Association for the sole use of the Creole Heritage Center. Gifts made to the NSU Foundation are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law. The NSU Foundation is exempt from tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Its Federal Identification Number is 72-6021495.

Become a Member!

To become a member/donate online:

To become a member/donate through the mail:

Creole Champions Club

Our Creole Champions Club recognizes all individuals who financially support the Center at the level of $150 or more per calendar year. Our immense gratitude goes out to the following who have committed themselves to being Creole Champions!

Business/Organization Sponsorships

Businesses/Organizations can use the online or paper form above to become a sponsor of the Center. All sponsors will have their logos prominently displayed on our website and recognized in publications. Additional recognition/terms of sponsorship can be explored.

Opportunities to sponsor a specific event or initiative are also available. Contact the Center for more information!

Other Ways to Support the CHC

You can support the Center in various ways beyond a financial gift. Contact the Center if you are interested in any of the following:

  • Volunteering with the Center
  • Serving as a consultant with the Center
  • Recording your family stories with the Center
  • Inviting the Center to be present at an event/give a presentation
  • Donations of archival materials or collections of family history
  • In-kind donations

Celebrating the Creole Heritage Center’s 25th Anniversary

The fall of 2023 marks the 25th Anniversary of the Creole Heritage Center opening its doors at Northwestern State University. October 12th and 13th will be our initial chances to celebrate this milestone, with an additional event in 2024 being planned.

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT HTTPS://CHC-KICKOFF.EVENTBRITE.COM
OR BY CALLING 318.357.6685

Orville J. Hanchey Gallery
140 Central Ave, Natchitoches, LA 71497
September 15 – October 29, 2003

Additional details about the exhibition and artists available in the flipbook below.

2023-2026 Strategic Plan

In 2021 a variety of supporters of the Creole Heritage Center called for the Center to evaluate and reconfirm its role in serving Louisiana Creoles and promoting understanding and appreciation of Louisiana Creoles and their culture. The Center could not do this alone, thus throughout the past two years it engaged numerous stakeholders including staff, our Advisory Council, longtime supporters, members of the NSU community, and representatives from cultural heritage, political, business, and educational entities. We also shared a public electronic survey in the summer of 2022, which collected over 500 responses.

The Center is proud to share the results of this entire process. Our 2023-2026 Strategic Plan begins with a revised and more succinct mission statement and an articulated vision and core values. The plan then identifies goals in five thematic areas, four we classify under “Programs & Services” and the fifth deals with the day-to-day operations of the Center. Striving for and attaining these goals will enable the Center to continue to be an efficient and responsive leader and foremost authority on all things Creole as it enters its next twenty-five years.

The Center cannot achieve the goals in this plan without you. We encourage you to read the plan, ask us questions about it, tell others about the Center, utilize and grow our resources, and more so together we can preserve, educate, and advocate the value and significance of the vibrant Louisiana Creole people and their culture.

This plan was graciously financially supported by the Cane River National Heritage Area.

Genealogy Basics

Just starting to research your family’s history? Seems like the paper trail has run out for one of your ancestors? Review our resources below and reach out to the Creole Heritage Center at creolecenter@nsula.edu or 318-357-6685 with any questions about our genealogical resources.

Metoyer Genealogical Listing Book

In June 2017, the Creole Heritage Center published the results of our efforts to construct a family tree of the descendants of Claude Thomas Metoyer & Marie Therese Coin-Coin, whose descendants began the Creole community in Isle Brevelle, LA and have spread throughout the nation. The book may be purchased through the Creole Heritage Center at the cost of $50.00. Order via our online donation form (choose custom amount and note you are purchasing the book in the Comment box) or via cash, check, or money order sent to the Center. Payment must be received before the book will be shipped.

National Creole Family Database

One of the Creole Heritage Center’s ongoing projects is the creation of a database with vital information on Louisiana Creole ancestors from every Creole community within Louisiana and throughout the United States. This is an ever-expanding database; the absence of an individual is not meant to state an individual’s lineage is not Creole nor that they did not exist.

ACCESS and SEARCH the National Creole Family Database

The searchable, online version of this database reflects verified information on individuals born BEFORE 1951. Verified means staff at the Creole Heritage Center has confirmed the publicly available information through written sources.

How to Add or Update Individuals in the Database

  1. Click the “Pencil” button under “Update” for the Individual you wish to update.
  2. If the Individual is not currently listed in the database, click the “Pencil” button under “Update” for any existing individual to access the “Request an Update” form.
  3. Fill out the “Request an Update” form with your name and email, and as much information as you know about the individual and how you know this information. Use the “Additional Comments” box as needed.
  4. Click the “Send Request for Update” button at the bottom of the form.
  5. The Center will be notified of your submission and work to verify and update the database. We will contact you if additional questions or information is necessary.

Creole Individuals Collection Folders

Alongside the production of the National Creole Family History Database, the Center has collected photographs and documents such as baptismal, marriage, and death records; funeral cards and programs, military records, census records, succession papers, letters, and more on Creole individuals and families. The collection is organized by name and has over 1,200 folders. The folders are currently available for research at the Center only.

You can help others learn about their Creole heritage!

The Center is continually looking for items to add to its holdings and maintain its efforts to preserve Creole family histories. It accepts originals and copies (electronic or paper) of any documents and photos of Creole individuals. Contact the Center with any questions or to make your donation!

NOTE:  All donated materials (originals or copies) become the property of the Creole Heritage Center and may not be duplicated or used for any purpose without written permission of the Creole Heritage Center. Restricted public access for donated materials can be accommodated.

Resource Library

The Creole Heritage Center’s Resource Library houses print, audio, and visual items related to the genealogical and historical study of Louisiana Creoles and their links nationwide. The library exists to assist researchers searching for information on Louisiana Creoles and their culture and to preserve the research, projects, and publications completed by the Creole Heritage Center.

Highlights include recordings of Creole Heritage Center events, published books on Creole and Louisiana peoples and culture, Creole Individuals Collection Folders, photographs of Creole individuals and places, and recorded oral histories of Creole individuals.

The Resource Library is a nonlending library and items in it are available for use at the Center only. Please contact the Center for more information and to make an appointment for exploring these resources.

Other Creole Research Resources

Many of the Creole Heritage Center’s NSU partners and local friends have additional holdings on Louisiana Creoles that may be of use to researchers. These include:

If the people, communities, or history you are investigating fall outside of Natchitoches Parish, libraries and courthouses in those locations may hold the most relevant information for you. The Center is happy to help you identify relevant resources and their location(s), although it does not have the ability to visit or conduct research for others.

Creole-related Scholarships for NSULA Students

The Creole Heritage Center is proud to highlight the following scholarships available to assist Northwestern State University students meet their educational costs. These scholarships honor a member of the Louisiana Creole community and/or align with the Center’s mission. The Creole Heritage Center is not involved in the selection of scholarship recipients and all donations to a scholarship go directly to that scholarship.

The scholarships are administered through the NSU Foundation & Alumni Association. Donations to continue the availability of these scholarships for NSU students can be made online at https://northwesternstatealumni.com/creole/.

If you are a current or incoming student at NSU and interested in applying for any of these scholarships, please complete the Scholarship Application online at https://northwesternstatealumni.com/form/. Additional scholarships are available through NSU’s Office of Financial Aid and the NSU Foundation and Alumni Association.

The Creole Heritage Center does not currently offer scholarships to students at other colleges and universities, nor does it currently have scholarships available for those wishing to conduct research in its Resource Library or other Louisiana Creole-related repositories.

Leah Chase Scholarship

The Leah Chase Scholarship is for a student pursuing the culinary arts concentration in NSULA’s Hospitality, Management, and Tourism program. The student must excel in culinary arts studies after a minimum of nine credits of culinary content and display leadership and teamwork in and out of the classroom.

Leah Chase (1923 – 2019), the “Queen of Creole Cuisine,” was a long-recognized advocate for African American art and Creole cooking. Her restaurant in New Orleans, Dooky Chase, was known as a gathering place during the 1960s among many who participated in the Civil Rights Movement and continues under the leadership of the Chase family. Chase was inducted into the James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America in 2010 and earned the James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.  She was honored with a lifetime achievement award from the Southern Foodways Alliance in 2000, received honorary degrees from numerous institutions, and the Southern Food and Beverage Museum in New Orleans named a permanent gallery in her honor in 2009.

Dr. Susan Dollar Endowed Scholarship and Dr. Susan Dollar Program Enhancement Fund

The Dr. Susan Dollar Endowed Scholarship is for a sophomore, junior or senior student majoring at NSU in history, anthropology, or sociology, preferably to provide support for an internship in those fields. The Dr. Susan Dollar Program Enhancement Fund is for the enhancement of the Cammie G. Henry Research Center and will be administered by the head librarian/archivist for the preservation of documents and organization of archival materials related to historic preservation within the Cane River National Heritage Area.

Dr. Susan Dollar (1959 – 2021) was a professor of history at NSU. Throughout her life she was heavily involved in preserving and telling the heritage of Natchitoches Parish, working with the Association for the Preservation of Historic Natchitoches, the National Park Service, the Creole Heritage Center, the Cane River National Heritage Area, and the Natchitoches Genealogy Association. In 1998 she published the book The Freedman’s Bureau Schools of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, 1865-1868 with NSU Press and her 2004 dissertation focused on the Creole community of Isle Brevelle, Louisiana. After earning her bachelor’s degree from NSU she taught French and English at Captain Shreve High School in Shreveport and then earned a MA in cultural resource management and history from NSU, a second MA in history from Texas A&M, and a PhD in history from the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville. To her and everyone’s pleasure, an unsurprising return to NSU’s history department followed where she taught for the remainder of her career.

Terrel A. Delphin, Jr. Scholarship

The Terrel A. Delphin, Jr. Scholarship is for a student classified as a sophomore or above with a 2.5 grade point average. Preference will be given to a student with a 3.0 grade point average or higher.

Terrel A. Delphin, Jr. (1938 – 2012) was the “Father of the Creole Renaissance-Resurrection” and his advocacy led to the establishment of the Creole Heritage Center at Northwestern State University. He served as Chairman of the Center’s Advisory Council for many years as well as president of the St. Augustine Historical Society, co-chair of the Cane River National Heritage Area Commission, and a board member of the Natchitoches Parish Tourist Commission. He received an honorary doctorate from Northwestern State University in 2011, the Natchitoches Policy Jury presented him with the People’s Involvement Award for his work in Creole heritage preservation in 2006, was named a Natchitoches Treasure in 2007 and in 2011, and the City of Natchitoches declared March 29, 1997 as Terrel Delphin Day. Delphin grew up on Cane River, served as one of the first non-white police officers in Natchitoches Parish and went on to a 25-year career with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and then became assistant director of the Natchitoches Parish Office of Emergency Planning and Homeland Security.

Mary Gunn Johnston Magnolia Scholarship

The Mary Gunn Johnston Magnolia Scholarship is a four-year scholarship to be awarded to a Black undergraduate student who maintains a 2.5 grade point average or higher. Preference will be given to students from Natchitoches Parish or descendants of Natchitoches Parish residents, and to those who have participated in community service.

Mary Gunn Johnston grew up in the Natchitoches area and graduated from St. Mary’s Catholic School. She began her college education at NSU where she studied Dietetics and was involved in numerous activities, including student government. Her first post-college job was working at NSU as a school dietician prior to marrying her husband, former U.S. Senator J. Bennett Johnston.  She has always credited Northwestern State University with providing her the educational foundation and life lessons to be successful. Johnston is a member of NSU’s Long Purple Line, the University’s alumni hall of distinction. Throughout her life she has been active in a variety of civic and humanitarian efforts in Louisiana and Washington, DC and projects to preserve Louisiana’s culture and heritage.

Mary Ann Lyles Memorial Scholarship

The Mary Ann Lyles Memorial Scholarship is for a student pursuing a career in business administration or nursing at NSU or Bossier Parish Community College (BPCC) – Natchitoches campus.

Mary Ann Lyles (1946 – 2016) was a Natchitoches native and graduate of the Natchitoches Area Vocational-Technical College. Her years of service working for programs designed to improve life quality in the community spanned nearly five decades and included employment with the U.S. Social Security Administration, Natchitoches Area Action Association, Inc., Louisiana Association for Community Action Programs, Northwestern State University, and the Natchitoches Parish Council on Aging. She was well-known in her community and, not having children of her own, treated other children like they were her own.

Felix “T-fra” Monette, Jr. Scholarship

The Felix “T-fra” Monette, Jr. Scholarship is for a sophomore or junior pursuing a degree in history with a concentration in folklife. Preference will be given to a Louisiana native and the recipient must maintain a grade point average of 2.5 or better.

Felix “T-fra” Monette Jr. (1930-2013) grew up near Cloutierville, LA in a time when his friends and family commonly spoke a broken dialect of French.  A born storyteller, he loved meeting people and telling jokes. Always with the well-being of his community in mind, he set aside portions of his catches and harvest to give to friends, family and neighbors. In 1971, he joined Northwestern State University as a plumber and soon became involved in University-supported efforts to preserve Louisiana Creole culture. He became a resident historian for the Cane River area, participating in many panel discussions organized by the Creole Heritage Center, interviews for many documentaries, articles, and Louisiana cultural studies projects; Le Tableau Francais aux Natchitoches, a local French language preservation group; and, as one of the last fluent Louisiana Creole French speakers in the area, multiple interviews by Dr. Thomas Klingler, Director of Linguistics at Tulane University. In October of 2013, he was awarded the Creole Heritage People’s Choice Award from the Creole Heritage Center.

Robert W. Neuman Scholarship

The Robert W. Neuman Scholarship is for a student majoring in anthropology, sociology, or history. The student must be at the sophomore, junior, or senior level. Sophomores must maintain a 2.5 or better grade point average. Juniors and seniors must maintain a 3.0 or better grade point average. Preference will be given to students engaged in an internship related to anthropology, sociology or history.

Robert W. Neuman (1930 – 2019) graduated from Tulane University and Louisiana State University with degrees in anthropology. His career as an archaeologist included 11 years for the Smithsonian Institution followed by 27 years at Louisiana State University. Neuman published widely while with the Smithsonian on many topics. Although he worked at all types of prehistoric sites, his primary research interest was the Woodland manifestations on the Great Plains, particularly burial mounds and campsites in Nebraska and the Dakotas. In 1984, he published An Introduction to Louisiana Archaeology, a compilation of his research and those of others into the state’s prehistoric human past, and the first full-length book devoted to Louisiana archaeology. He was also an early member of the Louisiana Archaeological Society, was editor of Louisiana Archaeology, the bulletin of the society, and in 2003 he received the James A. Ford Award, the highest honor that the Louisiana Archaeological Society can bestow on one of its members. He retired and moved with his wife, Dr. Kathleen Byrd, to Natchitoches in 1995.

Past Events

Since opening its doors in 1998, the Center has produced a variety of educational and celebratory events that brought Creoles together, gave them opportunities to share their voice, and taught all about their heritage and resilience. Pictures and information on just some of the Center’s past events are highlighted here.

2016 Archaeologist of the Year album.

2016 Archaeologist of the Year

NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State Professor of Anthropology Dr. Hiram F. “Pete” Gregory was honored as Archaeologist of the Year from Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser and the Louisiana Office of Cultural Development at the Louisiana Culture Award Ceremony on May 24th at the Capitol Park Museum in Baton Rouge.

2008 Mardi Gras album

2008 Creole Heritage Celebration

Images from Grand Marais Mardi Gras Association presentation during Awards Banquet.

2008 Chicago Conference album

2008 Chicago Conference

A special thanks goes to Linda (LaCour) Buishas for providing these photos.

2007 Creole Heritage Celebration album

2007 Creole Heritage Celebration

Held in Natchitoches, Louisiana

2003 Conference album

2003 Conference

Held in New Orleans, Louisiana

2002 Creole Convention album

2002 Creole Convention

Held in Montebello, California

1999 Conference album

1999 Conference

Held in Natchitoches, Louisiana

Administrative Office

Kyser Hall, Room 116

Office Hours
Monday – Thursday:
8:00 am – 3:00 pm, or by appointment

Genealogy Office

Kyser Hall, Room 110

Contact Information

(318) 357-6685
creolecenter@nsula.edu

NSU Box 5675
Natchitoches, LA 71497

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