My object is a mini mug from New Orleans, Louisiana. When my mom was a kid her grandma took a trip to New Orleans, went to the World’s fair and brought back this emug that says “Louisiana World Exposition: May 12-November 11 1984.”

New Orleans is where I was born along with my siblings and a majority of my dad’s side of the family. My dad’s family all ended up in New Orleans because of slavery. I’m not exactly sure about the exact country but they came from the west side of Africa. After they had been forced to settle in the country area outside of the city of New Orleans to work for the rich white men years later after slavery had become abolished, many of the slaves, including my family had become sharecroppers in the country area of Louisiana.

New Orleans soon began to develop more into a city and modern area for people to work and live, that’s when the sharecropping began to slow down and stop. Once the government realized that many African Americans were beginning to move into the metro area, they began building what are known as “the projects,” which were originally meant to just be affordable housing for low income families. But after some years the government stopped supporting them. 

Now where my grandma lives is known as “The Hood,” which were once supposed to be affordable housing. 99% of that area are low income African Americans. This is my story. 

– Trinity Shaw

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant