NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University’s Creole Heritage Center Director Dr. Kent Peacock will speak on the Center’s genealogical resources Tuesday, May 26, at the Natchitoches Genealogical and Historical Society. The event will begin at 7 p.m. at the Old Natchitoches Parish Courthouse at the corner of Second and Church streets. Admission is free and open to the public.
“For almost 30 years, the Center has been collecting items documenting the lives of Louisiana Creoles dating back to the 18thcentury,” said Peacock. “I look forward to sharing highlights of our Resource Library and discussing the Center’s ongoing efforts to expand its collections and make them more accessible for anyone interested in tracing their family tree.”
The Center’s Resource Library contains more than 5,000 items, including copies of church records, funeral and celebration programs, cemetery records, unpublished and published family history books, and transcribed state records, as well as access to Ancestry.com and Newspapers.com. Most items connect to the peoples of Natchitoches Parish, but some cover other parts of Louisiana and even to California, Illinois, Texas and elsewhere in the nation where Louisiana Creoles migrated. Also available is an online National Creole Family database containing more than 9,500 names and basic genealogical information.
Individuals interested in exploring their family’s history or learning more about the heritage of Louisiana Creoles are invited to visit the Center or request research assistance from staff. The Center also continues to accept donations and copies of genealogical materials for its collections so it can help more people searching for information on their ancestors.
The Center is in Room 118 of Kyser Hall on NSU’s Natchitoches campus with general summer hours of Monday – Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors are encouraged to contact the Center in advance to confirm staff availability and allow staff time to prepare relevant research materials.
Connect with the Creole Heritage Center at (318) 357-6685 or creolecenter@nsula, on Facebook at NSULACreoleHeritageCenter, on Instagram at creolecenter_nsula or via our website www.nsula.edu/creole.