Local historian Ed Branley will deliver an illustrated lecture titled “When the French Quarter was Sicilian” as part of the Third Thursday Talk series on Thursday, October 16, 7 pm, at the East Bank Regional Library (4747 W. Napoleon Avenue in Metairie).
This event is free of charge and is open to the public. Registration is not required.
By the early 20th century, so many Italians settled in the Vieux Carre that the original New Orleans neighborhood came to be called Little Palermo and some suggested the area should be renamed "The Sicilian Quarter." These immigrants, fleeing economic and political turmoil in Sicily, worked in the French Quarter and French Market, changing its demographics and culture. As time passed and they became established in the area, many Sicilian-Americans moved out of New Orleans and into the suburbs.
Branley will discuss the following.
• Starting in the 1880s, a large wave of immigrants, many of them Sicilian, arrived in New Orleans to escape difficult conditions in their homeland.
• They worked in the French Quarter, with many owning shops and businesses, especially in the food industry. The arrival of Sicilians significantly impacted New Orleans' food scene, with many iconic dishes and businesses stemming from their culinary traditions.
• Their arrival added another layer of cultural complexity to the city, building on the French, Spanish, African, and other influences that had already shaped the French Quarter.
• While "Little Palermo" is no longer an official or concentrated area, the Italian influence remains a vital part of New Orleans' identity, visible in traditions like St. Joseph's Day.
Branley has written five books for Arcadia Publishing, including Legendary Locals of New Orleans and a series for the Images of America collection: New Orleans: The Canal Streetcar Line, Maison Blanche Department Store and New Orleans Jazz. He is a graduate of Brother Martin High School in New Orleans and the University of New Orleans.
Program inquiries should be directed to Chris Smith, Manager of Adult Programming, at 504-889-8143 or
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