Media contacts:
Lauren Noel, The Historic New Orleans Collection
(504) 556-7655| laurenn@hnoc.org

Gretchen Hirt, Gambel Communications
(504) 324-4242 | gretchen@gambelpr.com

 

Oct. 16, 2014 | New Orleans, Louisiana - Two hundred years ago on a battlefield just outside of New Orleans, a frontier general and his motley force of regulars troops and volunteers defeated a larger, more experienced British army intent on capturing the port city. The Historic New Orleans Collection's new exhibition, presented in conjunction with the bicentennial of the Battle of New Orleans, sheds light on Andrew Jackson, the leader of that improbable American victory. Opening Nov. 5, "Andrew Jackson: Hero of New Orleans" will be available to the public at 533 Royal St., Tuesday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., and Sunday, 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., through March 29, 2015.

"Jackson was the 19th-century equivalent of a rock star," said Jason Wiese, exhibition curator and associate director of THNOC's Williams Research Center. "He was one of the United States' most famous heroes, as well as one of its most polarizing figures."

Before he became the seventh president of the United States, Jackson was a relatively unknown Tennessee militia general. His success in battles with Creek Indians introduced him to a national audience, but it was his triumph at the Battle of New Orleans in 1815 that launched him to stardom.

The War of 1812 was not going well for the American side when Jackson was given command of the Seventh Military District, which included Tennessee, Louisiana and the Mississippi Territory. By December 1814, the entire country expected New Orleans to fall to the British forces, which had burned Washington, D.C., the previous summer. Though outnumbered, Jackson's men stood their ground against the all-out British attack on Jan. 8, 1815. The country rejoiced at the news, and for decades afterward, the Glorious Eighth of January was a national holiday similar to the Fourth of July.

"Societies often create the mythic symbols they need, and at that time, the country needed someone like Jackson," Wiese said. "He left a lasting mark on the history and culture of the country at a moment when its identity was still forming, and his success on the battlefield in 1815 encouraged his fellow citizens to imagine the young republic as a future world power."

THNOC's exhibition tracks Jackson's rise from humble beginnings to immortality as a war hero and president, and also sheds light on some of the controversies-such as martial law and Indian removal-that attended Jackson's storied career. Early paintings and later prints, sculptures, medals and artifacts demonstrate the evolving public concept of Jackson as a military and political leader. Rare objects-some belonging to Jackson himself-will be on loan from the Hermitage, the Library of Congress and elsewhere.

Highlights from THNOC's own holdings include a selection of the infamous "coffin broadsides" printed by supporters of John Quincy Adams in the 1828 presidential election and rare funeral ribbons memorializing Jackson after his 1845 death. Subsequent uses of Jackson's image in artworks and vintage advertisements will demonstrate his lasting impact on New Orleans, the South and the entire United States.

Related programming

Opening reception for "Andrew Jackson: Hero of New Orleans"
Tuesday, Nov. 11 • 6:30-8 p.m.
THNOC's Williams Gallery • 533 Royal St.
Free and open to the public. No reservations necessary.

Professional development workshop for educators
"The Age of Jackson: Commemorating the Bicentennial of the Battle of New Orleans"
Saturday, Nov. 15
9 a.m.-3 p.m.
THNOC's Williams Research Center, 410 Chartres Street, New Orleans
Admission is free, but space is limited. Registration is required. See below for information.

The Historic New Orleans Collection has teamed with the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History to present a training session that will expand educators' content knowledge as well as build pedagogical skills for teachers of grades 7-12. Participants will study crucial episodes of Andrew Jackson's career that shaped U.S. history, such as the War of 1812, the Battle of New Orleans and the Trail of Tears.

Lunch and snacks will be provided. To register or for more information, contact Daphne Derven, curator of education, at (504) 598-7154 or daphned@hnoc.org.

Lesson plans for teachers and educators related to
"Andrew Jackson: Hero of New Orleans"

The Historic New Orleans Collection has teamed with the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History to create unique lesson plans for teachers and educators, drawing on primary sources from THNOC's archival holdings. The lesson plan for "Andrew Jackson: Hero of New Orleans" will be based on a letter recounting the Battle of New Orleans from a New Orleans resident named Laura Florian.

For more information, contact Daphne Derven, curator of education, at (504) 598-7154 or daphned@hnoc.org.

20th annual Williams Research Center Symposium
"Forgotten Conflicts: Indians, Andrew Jackson, and the War of 1812 in the South"
Jan. 23-24, 2015
Hotel Monteleone, 214 Royal St.
Registration is required. See below for information.

The Historic New Orleans Collection celebrates its 20th annual Williams Research Center Symposium in 2015. Commemorating the bicentennial of the Battle of New Orleans, the symposium considers the largely forgotten War of 1812, which pitted a young American republic against the established military might of Great Britain. Lectures will explore the war's impact on the South, particularly the Gulf Coast and New Orleans; the Creek War of 1813-14; the experiences of women and people of color during the conflict and the British perspective on the Gulf campaign. In addition, a keynote lecture on Friday, Jan. 23, will look at the life and career of Andrew Jackson.

Registration is required. Registration fees cover the full day of presentations by seven experts plus two receptions-an evening reception following the keynote lecture on Friday, and a closing reception on Saturday afternoon. Details will be made available as they are determined at www.hnoc.org or by calling (504) 523-4462.


About The Historic New Orleans Collection
Founded in 1966, The Historic New Orleans Collection is a museum, research center, and publisher dedicated to the study and preservation of the history and culture of New Orleans and the Gulf South region. For more information, visit www.hnoc.org or call (504) 523-4662.

Editor's Note: Images pertaining to this exhibition and the related programming are available to members of the media. Contact Lauren Noel at laurenn@hnoc.org or (504) 556-7655 to make a request.

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