SWLA Historical Assn. Awards

The Southwest Louisiana Historical Association Awards

Dr. Donald J. Millet and Dr. Samuel Marino.

Photograph Collection, Archives and Special Collections

Department, Frazar Memorial Library, McNeese State University.

The Dr. Donald J. Millet Writing Award

The SWLA Historical Association awards the Dr. Donald J. Millet Historical Writing Award annually for the best historical writing (book, essay, historical monograph, play, poem, etc.) by a resident of Imperial Calcasieu and written or published during the year preceding the contest. An independent panel of judges ranks the nominated works subjectively. The Association calls for entries in February or March through an announcement in the American Press. The winner is announced at the April meeting. For more information, contact Kathie Bordelon at 337-475-5734 or bordelon@mcneese.edu .

Past winners include:

1996    Betty Jo Thompson for her poem, "The Confederate Soldier"
1997    Nola Mae Ross for her book, Hurricane Audrey
1998    Nola Mae Ross for her book, Louisiana Homes: If Walls Could Talk
1999    Dr. Tom Watson for his book, Fifty Years of High School Rodeo in Louisiana
2000    Truman Stacey for his book, The Visible Church: The Parishes of the Diocese of Lake Charles
2001    Dr. Tom Watson for his essay, "Early Exploration and Settlement of the Lower Calcasieu Water Shed"
2002    Dr. Tom Watson for his essay, "An Episode from the Aftermath of Reconstruction: The Calcasieu Log War, 1877-1879"
2003    Harry H. Kendall for his book, A Farm Boy in the Foreign Service
2004    Don Kingery for his book, Timeline II : features, columns, letters from the American Press Timeline and Life pages
2005    C. J. Christ for his book, World War II in the Gulf of Mexico
2006    The McNeese Department of Mass Communication for their book, Hurricane Rita : reflections of a generation witnessing disaster
2007    Ron Yule for his book, Wailin’ the Blues Cajun Style
2008    Michael E. Saucier for his poem "My Sweet Secret: A Narrative Poem"

Dr. Joe Gray Taylor. Photograph Collection, Archives and

Special Collections Department, Frazar Memorial Library,

McNeese State University.

The Dr. Joe Gray Taylor Louisiana History Essay Contest

Each Spring, the SWLA Historical Association selects three students to receive the Dr. Joe Gray Taylor Louisiana History Essay Contest Award. A panel of judges chooses the winners from among the middle school students whose entries in the Region V Social Studies Fair concerned some aspect of Louisiana history. Winners receive a plaque and savings bonds during the awards ceremony at the end of the day’s competition. Please see each year's April edition of the newsletter for the names of past winners.

Webmaster: pthreatt@mcneese.edu