Welcome to the webpage of The New Orleans Branch of the English-Speaking Union of
the United States! We’ve been an active Branch for more than 30 years, have over 100
current memberships, including singles, couples, and the largest number of National
Patrons of any ESUUS Branch. 

Again, this year we are planning a full schedule of in-person events September through
June, including the highly successful and interesting virtual ESUUS Happy Hour
programs series organized by ESUUS Branches nationwide and broadcast monthly by
ESUUS headquarters in New York City. 

The New Orleans Branch played a vital kickoff role in this program with its origins during
the initial COVID lockdown period, thanks to our previous Membership and Media Chair,
Julie Jardine. Julie served on the national planning committee and when the shutdown
occurred, quickly pivoted to provide the first virtual speaker, Robin B. Williams, Ph.D.,
who had been scheduled for an in-person presentation to the New Orleans Branch on
Regency and Gothic Revival Architecture. Another New Orleans-sponsored speaker, Liz
Williams, Founder of the Southern Food & Beverage Museum, holds the record for
highest attendance for her program on the origins of Creole cuisine.

Other events planned for the season include our annual Patron Party, the ever-popular
Christmas Tea, the National Shakespeare Competition, and the King’s Birthday Brunch.
See our Photo Gallery for pictures of prior years’ celebrations.

As always, our principal focus remains our educational programs, in particular the
National Shakespeare Competition for high school students and the Teach and Learn
Abroad scholarships for high school teachers. In fact, our 2024 Branch NSC winner,
Malachi White, went on to win the National Finals in New York City, and a participating
NSC teacher was awarded a scholarship by our Branch to study at The Globe Theatre,
London in the summer of 2025.

-Bruce Gordon, President, Board of Directors