May 26

World War II -- Jackson Square

May 26, 1941

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A most appropriate photograph to share on Memorial Day, this one from the New Orleans Public Library captures soldiers from the various camps in Louisiana and Mississippi who came to New Orleans for brief periods of weekend leaves and are shown around the city by guides supplied by the WPA recreation division. Here the WPA guide is in Jackson Square with a group of military tourists on May 26, 1941.

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Photo from the City Archives at the New Orleans Public Library, Mayor deLesseps S. Morrison Photograph Collection --- Outside Gallier Hall during former Mayor Morrison's funeral, May 26, 1964.

New Orleans native Lee Harvey Oswald wrote to the New York City headquarters of the pro-Castro Fair Play for Cuba Committee on May 26, 1963, proposing to rent "...a small office at my own expense for the purpose of forming a FPCC branch here in New Orleans." Three days later, the FPCC responded to Oswald's letter advising against opening a New Orleans office "at least not ... at the very beginning." In a follow-up letter, Oswald replied, "Against your advice, I have decided to take an office from the very beginning." As the sole member of the New Orleans chapter of the Fair Play for Cuba Committee, Oswald ordered the following items from a local printer: 500 application forms, 300 membership cards, and 1,000 leaflets with the heading, "Hands Off Cuba." According to Lee Oswald's wife Marina, Lee told her to sign the name "A.J. Hidell" as chapter president on his membership card. (WIKI)

NOPL photo -- Literacy classes conducted by the WPA Education division at 2429 Royal Street, May 26, 1939.

On May 26, 1865, arrangements were made in New Orleans for the surrender of Confederate forces west of the Mississippi.

On May 26, 1861, Union forces blockaded New Orleans and Mobile.

Etienne de Bore was the first man selected by Governor Claiborne to head our City Government, being the first Mayor of New Orleans under the Laussat regime. At this time he was fifty years of age. He served from 1803 to 1804; he resigned from office May 26, 1804, on the ground that his private affairs needed his attention. De Bore had on several occasions shown himself ill-disposed towards the Americans and gave Claiborne very little cooperation in bringing about and maintaining that tranquility to which Claiborne was bending every effort . He owned a plantation, which is now Audubon Park where he devoted his time to the culture of indigo. This not being renumerative, in 1794, he turned his attention to the growing of sugar cane. In 1795 de Bore successfully granulated cane juice, over which there was great rejoicing, as it had previously been attempted without success, and sold his first supply of sugar for $12,000, an event which revolutionized the agriculture of the Delta. (NOPL)

On May 26, 1780, in submitting a sworn statement of the funds of the year 1779, the City Treasurer made known “that the Militia of this city left in expedition for Baton Rouge, Mobile and Pensacola; and as a result the lodging places as well as the taverns which were in operation, no longer existed.” The Commissioners ordered that the Militia pay what they owe to the City Treasury “for pool and bar room bills as soon as they come back to the city.” (NOPL)