Northwest Louisiana Archives at LSUS

Northwest Louisiana Archives at LSUS Documents, maps, photographs, all pertaining to Northwest Louisiana. https://libguides.lsus.edu/NWLAarchives

The vision of LSUS Archives and Special Collections is to be the instrument of regional historical and institutional memory, to be an active participant in furthering the institutional mission and knowledge of the history of northwest Louisiana and the Red River region, and to continuously provide unexpected learning opportunities for all constituencies of LSUS.

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTHBetty Gilliam was a resident of Queensborough in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1988 when drugs and crim...
03/30/2026

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

Betty Gilliam was a resident of Queensborough in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1988 when drugs and crime began to overwhelm her once quiet, middle-class neighborhood.  While some residents moved away, Betty Gilliam decided to stay.  She was a homeowner who resolved not to allow criminals, particularly outsiders, to drive her out.  She became active in crime prevention efforts instead and served as vice president of the Queensborough Neighborhood Strategy Council.  Betty Gilliam bloomed where she was planted and believed in making her garden a better place.

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WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTHOur Woman of the Day is Lillie Bell Napoleon, a dedicated community leader in Shreveport, Louisiana...
03/24/2026

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

Our Woman of the Day is Lillie Bell Napoleon, a dedicated community leader in Shreveport, Louisiana. Born October 31, 1902, the youngest of thirteen children to Albert and Lucinda Rodgers Chester, she came from a legacy rooted in faith: her grandfather, Reverend John Jones, was the first pastor of Antioch Baptist Church, the city’s oldest Black church. In 1924, she married Charles A. Napoleon, a postal letter carrier, and together they built their life in Shreveport’s Allendale neighborhood. Lillie Bell was an active member of the Allendale Branch of the YWCA and served as a Matron of Esther Grand Chapter Order of the Eastern Star. She remained a pillar of her community until her passing in May 1996.

This photo of the girls Hi-Y of Shreveport in 1940 was featured in a Southern Area Council newsletter.

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WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTHMyrtle Pickering was one of Shreveport’s most politically active women, born in Boyce, Louisiana, i...
03/23/2026

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

Myrtle Pickering was one of Shreveport’s most politically active women, born in Boyce, Louisiana, in 1919 and raised in Cloutierville. Inspired by an early gubernatorial debate, she became involved in politics as a teenager and continued her civic work after moving to Shreveport in 1937. She focused on child welfare, education, and public safety, helping pass key legislation like the Stock Law in the 1950s. A trailblazer, she was often the first or only woman in leadership roles and later led the Louisiana Commission on the Status of Women, organizing the 1976 Governor’s Conference on Women and representing the state at the White House Conference. Pickering credited the strong women in her life for shaping her lifelong commitment to public service and equal opportunity.

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WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTHAlexandrine Ricou Querbes was a prominent Shreveport, Louisiana matron active in the national woman...
03/18/2026

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

Alexandrine Ricou Querbes was a prominent Shreveport, Louisiana matron active in the national woman’s club movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born May 10, 1869, to French immigrants Justin and Catherine Ricou, she married businessman and banker Andrew Querbes on February 12, 1889. During the Progressive Era, she participated in women’s civic and social clubs, including the Married Women’s Social Club, which helped improve both personal development and the community. Women’s groups like the Civic Club led efforts to beautify Shreveport, and Alexandrine, known for her quiet influence, contributed to these changes. During her husband’s term as mayor, the city transformed from a dirty river town into one with paved streets and suburban neighborhoods—advancements shaped in part by women like Alexandrine, who also helped pave the way for woman suffrage in Shreveport.

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WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTHEliza Sumpter King was a prominent religious and civic leader from a well-known Shreveport-Bossier ...
03/17/2026

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

Eliza Sumpter King was a prominent religious and civic leader from a well-known Shreveport-Bossier family. Born in Bossier Parish on October 19, 1902, she was the granddaughter of Rev. A. T. Sumpter of Stonewall Baptist Church. She married Fred H. King in 1928, and the couple lived in Shreveport’s Allendale neighborhood. Eliza served as secretary-treasurer for J. S. Williams and Sons Mortuary for forty years and held leadership roles in several civic organizations, including the 1974 Heart Fund Campaign for Caddo Parish and the Allendale Civic Club. Both she and her husband were active in Baptist church work at the local, state, and national levels. Fred H. King died in 1974, and Eliza remained devoted to church and civic service until her death on February 22, 1993. A small collection of their personal papers (1959–1970) is preserved in the LSUS Northwest Louisiana Archives. The image is from her Shreveport Times obituary (Feb. 28, 1993).

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WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH“Non sibi sed suis,” not for self but for others, appropriately characterizes the life of Ann Wilde...
03/13/2026

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

“Non sibi sed suis,” not for self but for others, appropriately characterizes the life of Ann Wilder Stratton, for hers was a life truly devoted to public service. She began a career in social work at the Genevieve Orphanage in Shreveport, Louisiana, now the Center for Families. After a subsequent twenty-year career as a social worker in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she returned to Shreveport where she embarked on a second career as a self-appointed government watchdog. Her only agenda for the next 34 years was to speak for those who could not or would not speak for themselves, and for those who felt (and often were) disenfranchised, left out, and ignored.

Upon her death, Ann Stratton bequeathed $9,500,000 to the Shreveport-Bossier Community Foundation, the largest bequest ever made up to that time. Her life is a reminder that government is the responsibility of all citizens in a democratic society; that the public interest is the first duty of elected officials, and that Louisiana women can be active and effective in government whether or not they hold office.

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WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTHClara George Gallon was a resident of Shreveport for 66 years and a prominent member of the Stoner ...
03/11/2026

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

Clara George Gallon was a resident of Shreveport for 66 years and a prominent member of the Stoner Hill congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses (a predominantly African American congregation) for 42 years. She served as a full-time pioneer in local missionary work for 41 of those years. She distributed copies of Jehovah’s Witnesses’ “The Watch Tower” in downtown Shreveport for over 40 of those years. She was a well-known figure downtown who sat in a folding chair across from the courthouse at Texas and McNeil in all kinds of weather, passing out literature and chatting with those who passed by. She married Johnston Gallon in 1946. In 1983, Clara was featured in a Shreveport Times article. “Most of my friends I have made by waving at people,” said Gallon. Johnston Gallon passed away in 1975.  Mrs. Gallon passed September 11, 1986.

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This image highlights Northwest Louisiana Archives’ fall exhibition of editorial cartoons by former Shreveport Times car...
01/15/2026

This image highlights Northwest Louisiana Archives’ fall exhibition of editorial cartoons by former Shreveport Times cartoonists Preston “Pap” Dean and Ron Rice, currently on display at Noel Memorial Library. A companion panel discussion will be held Thursday, January 22, 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm on the 3rd floor of Noel Library, exploring why editorial cartoons remain powerful tools for social and political commentary.

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Happy holidays from the Northwest Louisiana Archives. Enjoy this shot from Christmas in downtown Shreveoort from the 193...
12/23/2025

Happy holidays from the Northwest Louisiana Archives. Enjoy this shot from Christmas in downtown Shreveoort from the 1930s!

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We will reopen January 5th with intersession hours!Intersession hours:Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm 📞 318 797...
12/23/2025

We will reopen January 5th with intersession hours!

Intersession hours:

Monday through Friday
8:00 am to 4:30 pm

📞 318 797 5069
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12/04/2025

Did you know that LSUS's first fraternity was Delta Omicron Mu? This Greek organization welcomed active military personnel or those who had at least one year of service. Their regular activities included hosting an annual banquet at Barksdale Air Force Base and a picnic barbeque.

Thanks to the Northwest Louisiana Archives at LSUS for sharing this piece of LSUS history!

Address

Noel Memorial Library, Louisiana State University In Shreveport, One University Place
Shreveport, LA
71115

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8am - 4:30pm
Friday 8am - 4:30pm

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