The Battle of Liberty Place monument was originally erected on Canal Street in 1891 in New Orleans.
The stone pillar brought attention to an armed insurrection that occurred in New Orleans on September 14, 1874, nearly ten years after the Civil War.
The inscriptions on the monument changed over the years, and some were quite controversial. However, the monument endured, first on Canal Street and later moved to Iberville, with contextualization and new engravings that refined the history of the incident.
As is the purpose of any monument, The Battle of Liberty Place obelisk called attention to a troubling event, a moment in which people died. Monuments promote the study of history to future generations so that lessons can be learned from the past.
The Battle of Liberty Place monument in 2006, after it was relocated to the south end of Iberville Street in New Orleans.
I myself would not know anything about this event in history, nor would I have ever even thought to research it, if the monument had not been there in the first place.
Newt Rayburn was born & raised in Oxford, Mississippi. A seventh-generation Lafayette County, Mississippian, Newt Rayburn has been involved in the Ole Miss area for many years, in music, art, publishing, and business.
Newt won a National Magazine Award in 1999 for his SOUTHERN MUSIC ISSUE with THE OXFORD AMERICAN. Previously, Newt was Editor of PROFANE EXISTENCE in Minneapolis, and later, Art Director for Ole Miss' LIVING BLUES magazine. Newt's many publishing projects led to THE LOCAL VOICE™, which he founded in March of 2006, and ROUNDABOUT OXFORD®, which he founded in May of 2023.
Newt's alter ego—Neuter Cooter—lead the Mississippi band THE COOTERS® to Rocknoll Glory across the USA from 1993-2018. The Cooters music is on most major streaming services.
Newt is proud Father of nine-year old daughter Alex.
