NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans is the home to many special and talented people, while some of them are no longer with us, their memories and their achievements have and will never be forgotten. A new Walk of Fame will showcase those extraordinary people. So generations to come will know their names and their legacies will continue to shine bright.
Oretha Castle Haley refused to have her voice silenced. Her grandson, Blair-Dottin Haley said, "Her work and commitment to justice was locally but also for the country."
He went on to say, "She was a part of the court case that overturned segregation in public accommodations but she was also a part of the case that integrated charity hospital."
She proved that with courage and conviction, you can re-write the course of history. Dottin Haley said, "You know my grandmother passed at 48 years old." He says he wants his grandmother's legacy to be forever honoured, so the hardships she endured, inspire generations to come.
"I want them to know, that not only how much she loved her people but how much she sacrificed of her to fight so tirelessly for equity, equality and justice."
Oretha Castle Haley, a woman who fought so hard for the city of New Orleans, will never be forgotten. Because, her plaque, will be one of 50 laid outside Canal Place as part of the city's new Walk of Fame. Percy Miller, also known as Master P, a New Orleans icon, turned his hustle into an empire. The 'NOLA Walk of Fame' was his idea. He said, "We not looking at how far we have come, but how far we are going to go."
He went on to say, "When these kids come here and take these field trips, they're going to know all these great trailblazers."
Canal Street is a major thoroughfare for tourism. The hope is more and more visitors understand and appreciate the legends who maybe once, walked down this very street too.
Davon Barbour, with the Downtown Development District of New Orleans, said, "When we look at visitation in downtown continues to experience strong visitation, a project like this will only catapult the number of visitors that are here."
The first two plaques honor Todd Graves and Lil Wayne. Another 48 are set to be installed, one of those will include Mayor Latoya Cantrell.
The first 50 plaques will start at Canal Place and run all the way down to Rampart Street. They're set to be installed by Feb. 6.
► Get breaking news from your neighborhood delivered directly to you by downloading the new FREE WWL-TV News app now in the IOS App Store or Google Play.