Photos: Essence Fest in New Orleans mixes old school and new school music on opening night

Lioness-Sia, left, of Sierra Leone, and her dog, Persephone, hang out with Jackie Tourtellot outside the Caesars Superdome before heading into the ESSENCE Festival of Culture in New Orleans on Friday, July 4, 2025. (Photo by Chris Granger, The...

Here's a look at Essence Fest food, plus 20 Black-owned restaurants to try in New Orleans

Thousands gathered on the Fourth of July to kick off the first full day of Essence Festival 2025 in New Orleans. Part of the massive event is The Essence Food and Wine Festival featuring esteemed chefs, bartenders and food influencers from across...

St. Tammany Parish educator named La. Public Interest Fellow

The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) announced Carra “Beth” Melton of Bayou Woods Elementary in St. Tammany Parish as the 2025 Louisiana Public Interest Fellow.The Louisiana Public Interest Fellowship provides an accomplished educator with...

New Orleans schools rebuilt: Two decades of change since Katrina

Education leaders credit charter schools with lifting test scores and graduation rates, but say true success means tackling poverty beyond the classroom. NEW ORLEANS — Reshaped in the wake of disaster. That’s how education leaders in New Orleans...

Trump is charging immigrants under a WWII-era law. It triggered a legal showdown in Louisiana.

Federal prosecutors in New Orleans this spring charged five immigrants with petty offenses for failing to register with the government, invoking a little-used World War II-era law in a fresh bid by the Trump administration to penalize illegal...

Having seen ‘very toxic’ climates in NFL locker rooms, this player is leading change with LGBTQ-targeted youth football camp

(CNN) — For a professional athlete, sitting on the sidelines – unable to have an impact – can often be the most frustrating place to be. And that’s why Khalen Saunders is all about taking action, on the field and in his personal life. The New...

Thousands flock to New Orleans for Essence Festival of Culture this 4th of July

New Orleans police seek expanded facial recognition powers amid privacy backlash

The New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) is pressing the City Council to roll back restrictions on facial recognition technology in the name of public safety, igniting a fierce battle over privacy, civil liberties, and police transparency. Police...

Levee life threatened: New Orleans residents oppose canal project

For Holy Cross homeowners like Taylor and Liz Kimbrough, life on the levee offers peace and quiet. NEW ORLEANS — Adleanor Taylor says the levee is one of her favorite places to relax. “You have somewhere to go to and just sit by the water. It’s...

Master P Inspired The Next Generation Of Leaders At 2025 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture

On opening day of the 2025 ESSENCE Festival of Culture, the “Business Class: Master P on Legacy, Ownership & Hustle” panel delivered a much-needed message of purpose-driven entrepreneurship and community empowerment. Held at the Ernest N. Morial...

Everything You Missed At Day 1 Of Hollywood House At ESSENCE Festival of Culture

The first day of Hollywood House at the ESSENCE Festival of Culture opened with two powerful conversations that bridged the future of filmmaking with the of Black storytelling. Held inside the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, the...

New Brunswick’s Festival Acadien--poignant homage to French Canadian culture

Annually more than 20,000 participants from across Canada and around the world arrive in the New Brunswick Canada, village of Caraquet to participate in the two-week long Festival Acadian (August 3-15 2025). When French settlers first homesteaded...

Trombone Shorty Brings New Orleans Soul to A Capitol Fourth 2025

There are moments where you can literally feel the energy in the air - like it’s vibrating through the ground, through the crowd, through your bones. And that’s exactly what it felt like when Trombone Shorty took the stage for rehearsals at A...

Religion Briefs: Chabad of Baton Rouge Presents 'Deeper into Genesis' starting Monday

Chabad of Baton Rouge will offer a four-part course, “Deeper into Genesis,” starting at 11 a.m. Monday at the Main Library at Goodwood, 7711 Goodwood Blvd. Led by Rabbi Peretz Kazen, the course revisits foundational Bible stories with fresh...

There were 264 12th grade students in West Baton Rouge Parish schools in 2023-24 school year

Dr. Cade Brumley Louisiana State Superintendent of Education | https://www.nsula.eduDr. Cade Brumley Louisiana State Superintendent of Education | https://www.nsula.edu There were 264 12th grade students enrolled in West Baton Rouge Parish schools...

Northeast Louisiana schools’ 2024-25 LEAP scores show improvement

MONROE, La. (KNOE) - The Louisiana Department of Education released 2025 LEAP assessment scores, and some schools in the Northeast Louisiana region made notable gains. School Systems Overall 3-12 Mastery & Above: 25 school systems saw improvement...

Departure Lounge: Bayou-bound for a look at Louisiana's wetlands

Sri Lanka’s dazzling scenery, culture and hospitality is matched by its colourful cuisine. Join Sunway’s Flavours of Sri Lanka trip for an eight-night culinary adventure that explores the Indian Ocean island’s exciting culinary heritage. From...

Essence Fest returns with music, culture, and community at the Convention Center

From first-timers to longtime fans, festival goers and vendors alike celebrate the spirit, joy, and representation at one of the year's most anticipated events. NEW ORLEANS — Dancing, food, freebies, and a deep celebration of Black culture means...

Louisiana Downs' star-spangled bash: Fireworks and family fun

(Loving Living Local) –BOSSIER CITY, LA – There’s no better place to celebrate Independence Day weekend than at Louisiana Downs Racetrack, where the thrills of live horse racing meet family fun and festive fireworks. And leading the excitement is...

Louisiana test scores show slight improvement for third through eighth grades

(The Center Square) – The Louisiana Department of Education released its annual Louisiana Educational Assessment Program test results on Thursday and while slight progress was made for grades third through eighth, high school scores declined...