Palmyra Street

by Jana Dennis

Located in the heart of Mid-City near the new streetcar line, Palmyra Street is rich with typical and not-so-typical New Orleans stories. One of the city’s most diverse blocks, its residents represent a mix of races, cultures, and classes. Jana Dennis’s Palmyra Street pays homage to this fascinating neighborhood through interviews, photographs, and vignettes. A sharp observer with an eloquent voice, she paints an intriguing portrait of a block in flux, where the new neighbors sometimes clash with the old, but where harmony is quickly restored through simple acts of kindness. Readers meet Jana’s generous mother, the heart and soul of the neighborhood, and watch as the family forms a community not only on their block, but also through their participation in church life and the Golden Arrows Mardi Gras Indian Tribe. The residents of Palmyra Street are a testament to New Orleans’s community spirit, offering hope for a vibrant future.

88 pages, Paperback

First published October 18, 2005