This week

This week in history: Six died in the Rault Center fire

On Nov. 29, 1972, a fire engulfed the top floors of the Rault Center, a 17-story high-rise office and apartment building in New Orleans, claiming the lives of six people. According to a Times-Picayune article published the following day, a fire was reported at 7:30 a.m. in a dressing room on the 16th floor but…


Past weeks

This week in history: Baseball player Johnny Wright was born

Johnny Wright, the second Black baseball player signed to a major league-affiliated team, was born in New Orleans on November 28, 1916. Though he entered the minor leagues shortly after Jackie Robinson, Wright never made it to the majors, and his career is often overlooked.  Wright grew up in the Lafitte Housing Project and attended…