As part of its New Populations project, the Louisiana Folklife Program conducted a survey of the Shreveport-Bossier City area in 2011 to identify immigrant communities living in the area and document the cultural traditions they perpetuate in northwestern Louisiana.
Documentation includes digital files of logs of interviews, photographs, survey forms, and recordings of music from artists and members of the Filipino, Greek, Indian, Irish, Korean, Mexican, Bolivian, and Palestinian communities, as well as essays by folklorist Laura Marcus Green. Traditions recorded include music, dance, food, fiber arts, religious practice, festivals and holidays, and jewelry. Not all formats are present for all groups. In addition to the community-specific photographs, there are 68 digital photographs (2011) of Shreveport businesses and scenes, including images of international groceries, immigrant-owned businesses, and other culturally specific amenities. Subjects include Festival Plaza, the Multicultural Center of the South, a mural in downtown Shreveport, a sign for Spanish-language services at Broodmoor Baptist Church, La Yucateca on Youree Drive, Athena Middle Eastern grocery store, Danh's Deli Express in Bossier City, and Pat Ortiz's salsa and tamale booth at the Shreveport Farmers Market. Also found is one analog binder that contains ephemera such as menus, business cards, prayer cards and religious informational brochures, and community publications and hard copies of survey forms and model releases.
