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The LSU Rural Life Museum is proud to present its 2025 theme,
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Event Details:
This symposium is an invitation to honor the legacy of African American women who
navigated systemic barriers, preserved cultural traditions, and forged paths of strength
and influence. Through panel discussions, thought-provoking lectures, and personal
stories, attendees will explore the richness of Louisiana’s history through the lens
of women’s work across generations.
Admission:
- $45.00 General Admission
- $30.00 Friends of the LSU Rural Life Museum, Docents, Faculty of Louisiana Universities (ID required)
- $15 Students of Louisiana Universities (ID required)
Admission includes:
- Lunch
- Meet the presenters & book signing
- Museum Admission
Don’t miss this transformative celebration of history, resilience, and culture.
Reserve your spot today by clicking the link below!
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE!
Ione E. Burden Symposium 2025
Her Roots, Her Rights:
African American History & Heritage in Louisiana
February 15, 2025 | 8 AM
Featured Speakers:
Joyce Jackson, PhD
Joyce Marie Jackson, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Geography & Anthropology
and former Director of African & African American Studies at Louisiana State University.
She specializes in African and African diaspora performance studies, women’s agency,
and cultural sustainability, with contributions to Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
and the Louisiana Folklife Recording Series. She is the author of Life in the Village:
A Cultural Memory of the Fazendeville Community and producer of the documentary films
Easter Rock and When I Know His Spirit, I Will Know His Song. She also served as the
LSU facilitator for the Rural Life Museum’s initiative, Reimagining and expanding
“Interpretation: Moving Toward Museum Accreditation.”
Dr. Jackson will deliver opening remarks, offering her insights on the symposium theme and its relevance to Louisiana history and the Rural Life Museum.
LaKisha Michelle Simmons, PhD is Associate Professor of History and Women's & Gender Studies at the University
of Michigan. She is the author of Crescent City Girls: The Lives of Young Black Women
in Segregated New Orleans and the co-editor of The Global History of Black Girlhood.
She is currently working on a book on the history of Black family life after the Civil
War called Labor, Love, and Loss: Black Women, their Children and the Ancestors.
Dr. Simmons will present “Generations: Tracing Black Families in Slavery and Freedom.”
Mary Farmer-Kaiser, PhD is the Dean of the Graduate School and a Professor of History at the University of
Louisiana at Lafayette, where she began her academic career in 2000. An award-winning
teacher, she specializes in the history of citizenship, southern women’s history,
and public policy. Her research includes the book Freedwomen and the Freedmen’s Bureau:
Race, Gender, and Public Policy in the Age of Emancipation (Fordham University Press)
and co-editing Louisiana Women: Their Lives and Times, Vol. 2 (University of Georgia
Press) with Shannon Frystak. Farmer-Kaiser’s contributions to education extend beyond
the university classroom. She has participated in Smithsonian Institution-led teacher
education initiatives at the national level and directed U.S. Department of Education
Teaching American History programs for Lafayette Parish educators. A recognized leader
in graduate education, she remains ever committed to expanding access to high-quality
education and believes in its transformative power for individuals, families, and
communities. She holds degrees in History from Kansas State University, Clemson University,
and Bowling Green State University.
Dr. Farmer-Kaiser will present “Friend and Foe: Freedwomen and the Freedmen's Bureau in the Fight for Freedom.”
Dr. Shannon Frystak, PhD is a Professor and Director of the Graduate Program in the History Department at
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania. Her first book, Our Minds on Freedom:
Women and the Struggle for Black Equality in Louisiana examined the state's female
civil rights activists, placing them at the center of the history of the movement.
She has published widely in several other collections and is author and co-editor
of the second volume of Louisiana Women: Their Lives and Times, with Dr. Mary Farmer-Kaiser.
Her current research looks at the extraordinary, and wild, life of Lucille Watson,
owner, manager, and chatelaine of Cross Keys Plantation in Tensas Parish.
Author of Our Minds on Freedom: Women and the Struggle for Black Equality in Louisiana*
Dr. Frystak presents "Civil Rights are Economic Rights: Louisiana Women and the Struggle for Black Equality.”
Zapp’s International Beerfest XX
Saturday, March 22, 2025 | 3:00 – 6:00 PM
Early Admission: 2:00 PM
Raise your glass and join the celebration at the 20th Annual Zapp’s International Beerfest, hosted by the Friends of LSU Rural Life Museum and proudly sponsored by Utz Brands! This beloved Baton Rouge tradition offers an incredible opportunity to sample over 200 domestic and international beers and ales, including crowd-favorite homebrews.
All proceeds benefit the LSU Rural Life Museum, supporting its mission of research, education, and preservation.
What to Expect:
Beer Tastings: Discover unique flavors from around the world and enjoy local homebrew creations.
Food & Drinks: Non-alcoholic beverages and a variety of food options will be available to keep you
fueled and ready to mingle.
Great Vibes: Immerse yourself in a lively, fun-filled atmosphere while supporting a great cause.
Ticket Information:
Early Admission: $65
(Includes 1 food ticket, 1 non-alcoholic beverage,
and early entry at 2:00 PM)
General Admission: $45
Designated Driver: $20 (Includes 1 food ticket and 1 non-alcoholic beverage)
Tickets are limited to 2,000—secure yours before they sell out!
Important Details:
Ages 21+ only. Valid photo ID required for entry and ticket purchase.
No children or pets allowed. Please plan accordingly.
No refunds.
Don’t miss out on one of Baton Rouge’s most anticipated events! Grab your friends, raise your glasses, and support the LSU Rural Life Museum while enjoying the best beerfest experience around.
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE!

Author Talk:
Janet Allured on An Angel With Teeth
March 13, 2025 | 12 PM
Admission: Free and open to the public, includes access to the Women's Work Exhibit
Join us for an engaging author talk with Janet Allured, Ph.D., as she discusses her latest book, An Angel With Teeth, exploring the life and legacy of Janet Mary Riley—a pioneering law librarian at Loyola University who played a critical role in revising Louisiana’s “head and master” community property law.
Dr. Allured is a historian specializing in Southern women’s history, feminism, and social justice movements. She is a retired Professor of History and Women’s Studies at McNeese State University and currently teaches at the University of Arkansas. Her numerous publications include Louisiana Women: Their Lives and Times, Remapping Second-Wave Feminism: The Long Women’s Rights Movement in Louisiana, 1950-1997, and a forthcoming co-edited collection, Southern Methodist Women and Social Justice (2025).
Beyond her academic work, Dr. Allured serves on the boards of the City of Fayetteville’s Black Heritage Commission and the Writers’ Colony at Eureka Springs.
Don't miss this opportunity to hear Dr. Allured’s insights into women’s legal history, social justice, and the broader fight for gender equality in Louisiana and beyond.

Little Women – A Live Theatrical Reading
April 11, 2025 | 7:30 PM (Doors open at 6:30 PM)
Hosted by LSU Rural Life Museum in collaboration with Red Magnolia Theatre Company
In this imaginative adaptation, four actors in an attic retell Little Women, using found objects to recreate scenes of love, loss, and the warmth of the March family hearth. Experience Louisa May Alcott’s timeless story like never before!
Ticket Purchase information coming soon!
An Old-Fashioned Easter Celebration
April 13, 2025 | 2:00 - 4:30 PM
Get ready for an egg-citing time at our Easter celebration! Hosted annually by the museum, this event promises a delightful experience for all ages, featuring cherished Louisiana Easter traditions.
Activities Include:
- Easter Bunny photos
- Egg dyeing
- Paquing
- Petting Zoo
- Races
- Egg hunts & more!
Egg Hunt Times:
2-4 yrs: 3 PM
5-7 yrs: 3:30 PM
8-10 yrs: 4:00 PM
Ticket Information:
$8 per person, ages 3 & under FREE (Purchase link coming soon!)
Gather your family and hop on over for a day filled with joy and Easter fun! Don't miss out—reserve your tickets today.
See you there!

Author Talk:
Katy Simpson Smith on We Have Raised All of You: Motherhood in the South, 1750-1835
May 15, 2025 | 12:00 PM
Admission: Free and open to the public, includes access to the Women's Work Exhibit
Join us for an engaging author talk with Katy Simpson Smith, acclaimed historian and novelist, as she discusses her book We Have Raised All of You: Motherhood in the South, 1750-1835. Through extensive historical research, Smith explores the experiences of mothers—enslaved and free, Native and immigrant—who shaped the early South in profound ways.
A Mississippi native, Smith holds a PhD in history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an MFA from the Bennington Writing Seminars. She is the author of several celebrated novels, including The Story of Land and Sea, Free Men, The Everlasting, and The Weeds, and her work has appeared in The Washington Post, The Paris Review, The Los Angeles Review of Books, Oxford American, Granta, and more. She currently resides in New Orleans.
Apprentice Program Summer Camp 2025
June 2-6, 2025 | 8 AM-12:30 PM
Experience a week like no other as we transport campers back in time to the enchanting world of 19th-century Louisiana! Our immersive summer day camp offers a hands-on exploration of traditional trades and skills, led by expert artisans.
From blacksmithing to candle-making, quill pen calligraphy to weaving and woodworking, each day brings new adventures and discoveries. Campers will learn valuable skills while uncovering the fascinating stories of our rural heritage.
Ages: 4th-8th graders for the 2025-2026 school year
Camp Cost: $150 per camper
Secure your spot today by registering at the link below and embark on a journey through time with us!