Shreveport, Louisiana
Encyclopedia
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana
. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area
in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States
.
It is the seat of Caddo Parish
and extends along the Red River (most notably at Wright Island, the Charles and Marie Hamel Memorial Park, and Bagley Island) into neighboring Bossier Parish
. Bossier City
is separated from Shreveport by the Red River
. The population was 199,311 at the 2010 census, and the Shreveport-Bossier City Metropolitan Area
population exceeds 375,910. The Shreveport-Bossier City Metropolitan Statistical Area ranks 117th in the United States, according to the United States Census Bureau
.
Shreveport was founded in 1836 by the Shreve Town Company, a corporation established to develop a town at the juncture of the newly navigable Red River and the Texas Trail, an overland route into the newly independent Republic of Texas and, prior to that time, into Mexico.
Shreveport is the commercial and cultural center of the Ark-La-Tex
, the area where Arkansas
, Louisiana, and Texas
meet. Many people in the community refer to the two cities of Shreveport and Bossier City as "Shreveport-Bossier."
Henry Miller Shreve
, who commanded the United States Army Corps of Engineers
. A 180-mile (289 km) long natural logjam, the Great Raft
, had previously obstructed passage to shipping. Shreve used a specially modified riverboat
, the Heliopolis, to remove the logjam. The company and the village of Shreve Town were named in Shreve's honor.
Shreve Town was originally contained within the boundaries of a section of land sold to the company by the indigenous Caddo Indians in the year of 1835. In 1838, Caddo Parish was created from the large Natchitoches Parish and Shreve Town became the parish seat. Shreveport remains the parish seat of Caddo Parish
today. As other states, except Alaska
, have counties: Louisiana has parishes. In essence, they are the same. On March 20, 1839, the town was incorporated as "Shreveport." Originally, the town consisted of sixty-four city blocks, created by eight streets running west from the Red River and eight streets running south from Cross Bayou, one of its tributaries.
Shreveport soon became a center of steamboat commerce, mostly cotton and agricultural crops. Shreveport also had a slave market, though slave trading was not as widespread as in other parts of the state. Steamboats plied the Red River, and stevedore
s loaded and unloaded cargo. By 1860, Shreveport had a free population of 2,200 and 1,300 slaves within the city limits.
, Shreveport was the capital of Louisiana from 1863–1865, having succeeded, first, Baton Rouge
, and then Opelousas
after each fell under Union
control. The city was a Confederate
stronghold throughout the war and was the site of the headquarters of the Trans-Mississippi Department
of the Confederate Army. Isolated from events in the east, the Civil War continued in the Trans-Mississippi theater for several weeks after Robert E. Lee
's surrender in April 1865, and the Trans-Mississippi was the last Confederate command to surrender, on May 26, 1865. Confederate President Jefferson Davis
attempted to flee to Shreveport when he left Richmond
but was captured en route in Irwinville
, Georgia
.
Throughout the war, women in Shreveport did much to assist the soldiers fighting mostly far to the east. Historian
John D. Winters
in his The Civil War in Louisiana writes, accordingly:
"The women of Shreveport and vicinity labored long hours over their sewing machines to provide their men with adequate underclothing and uniforms. After the excitement of Fort Sumter
, there was a great rush to get the volunteer companies ready and off to New Orleans
. . . . Forming a Military Aid Society, the ladies of Shreveport requested donations of wool and cotton yarn for knitting socks. Joined by others, the Society collected blankets for the wounded and gave concerts and tableaux to raise funds. Tickets were sold for a diamond ring given by the mercantile house of Hyams and Brothers. . . .
A Confederate minstrel
show gave two performances to raise money for the war effort in Shreveport in December 1862. The Shreveport Ladies Aid Society announced a grand dress ball for April 6, 1863. That same month students at the Mansfield Female College in Mansfield
in De Soto Parish
presented a vocal and instrumental concert to support the war.
The Red River, which had been opened by Shreve in the 1830s, remained navigable throughout the Civil War. However, water levels got so low at one point that Union Admiral
David Dixon Porter
was trapped with his gunboats north of Alexandria
by the lack of clearance. By 1914, disuse, along with the rise of the railroad, again resulted in the river becoming unnavigable. In 1994, navigability was restored by the United States Army Corps of Engineers
with the completion of a series of lock-and-dam structures and a navigation channel. Today, Shreveport-Bossier City is again being developed as a port and shipping center.
of Shreveport which operated legally from 1903-1917. Ledbetter began to develop his own style of music after exposure to a variety of musical influences on Shreveport's Fannin Street, a row of saloons, brothel
s, and dance halls in the Bottoms. Bluesmen Jesse Thomas, Dave Alexander
, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd
and the early jazz
and ragtime
composer Willian Christopher O'Hare were all from Shreveport.
Shreveport was also home to the Louisiana Hayride
radio program, broadcast weekly from the Shreveport Municipal Auditorium. During its heyday from 1948–1960, this program spawned the careers of some of the greatest names in American music. The Hayride featured names such as Hank Williams, Sr.
and Elvis Presley
, who made his broadcasting debut at this venue.
In 1963, headlines across the country reported that Sam Cooke
was arrested after his band tried to register at a "whites-only" Holiday Inn
in Shreveport. In the months following, Cooke recorded the civil rights era song, "A Change Is Gonna Come."
In 1969, the avant-garde band The Residents
was probably formed in Shreveport.
The coming of riverboat gambling to Shreveport in the mid-1990s spurred a "revitalization" of the downtown and riverfront areas. Many downtown streets were given a facelift through the "Streetscape" project, where brick sidewalks and crosswalks were built and statues, sculpture
s, and mosaic
s were added. The Texas Street Bridge was lit with neon lights, that were met with a variety of opinions among residents.
Shreveport was named an All-American City
in 1953, 1979, and 1999.
(Koppen climate classification
Cfa). Rainfall is abundant, with the normal annual precipitation averaging nearly 47 inches (1.2 m), with monthly averages ranging from less than 3 inches (76.2 mm) in August to more than 5 inches (127 mm) in May. Severe thunderstorms with heavy rain
, hail
, damaging wind
s and tornadoes occur in the area during the spring and summer months. The winter months are normally mild, with an average of 35 days of freezing or below-freezing temperatures per year, with ice and sleet storms possible. Summer months are hot and humid, with maximum temperatures exceeding 90 degrees an average of 91 days per year, with high to very high relative average humidity, sometimes exceeding the 90 percent level.
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In the Highland section, along Fairfield Avenue, more than a half dozen homes have been designated as historic. These include residences once occupied by Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana
Thomas Charles Barret, who served early in the 20th century; a Broadway director, Joshua Logan
; a former governor and wife, Ruffin Pleasant
; a physician and developer, George W. Robinson; a Coca Cola bottler, Zehntner Biedenharn; the first mayor of Bossier City, Ewald Max Hoyer, who took office in 1907; and a major real estate
owner, John B. Slattery, whose home is one of five remaining structures in Shreveport designed by the noted architect
N.S. Allen.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 200,145 people, 78,662 households, and 50,422 families residing in the city limits. The population density
was 1,940.5 people per square mile (749.2/km²). There were 86,802 housing units, at an average density of 841.6 per square mile (324.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 50.80% African American, 46.66% White, 0.79% Asian, 0.31% Native American, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races
, and 0.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.55% of the population. From 1990 to 2000, the city's white non-Hispanic population declined from 53.6% to 45.9%, a -15% (-7 percentage point) decline. By 2004, among all groups, Shreveport gained 3.9% of its 2000 census population.
There were 78,662 households, out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.3% were married couples living together, 21.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.12. Population ages ranked as follows: 26.9% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. The city ranks third in the nation of cities over 100,000 population with significant gender disparity: for every 100 females there were only 87.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were just 82.1 males. According to 2005 FBI statistics, Shreveport ranks 18th in overall crime rate among cities of 100,000-250,000 persons, with a murder rate of 19.6 per 100,000 population.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,526, 72.4% of the national median of $42,148, and the median income for a family was $37,126. Males had a median income of $31,278 versus $21,659 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,759. About 18.7% of families and 22.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.3% of those under age 18 and 16.3% of those age 65 or over.
. It is part of the First Judicial District, housing the Parish courthouse. It also houses the Louisiana Second Circuit Court of Appeal, which consists of nine elected judges representing twenty parishes in northwest Louisiana. A portion of east Shreveport extends into Bossier Parish
due to the changing course of the Red River
.
The city of Shreveport has a mayor-council government
. The elected municipal officials include the mayor, Cedric Glover
, and seven members of the city council
. Glover, a former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
, is the first African American to hold the position. Shreveport became a majority black city in the 2000 census.
Under the mayor-council government, the mayor serves as the executive officer of the city. As the city's chief administrator and official representative, the mayor is responsible for the general management of the city and for seeing that all laws and ordinance
s are enforced.
as a locally based company. The Louisiana branch was later absorbed by Standard Oil of New Jersey. In the 1980s, the oil and gas industry suffered a large economic downturn, and many companies cut back jobs or went out of business, including a large retail shopping mall, South Park Mall, which closed in the late 1990s and is now Summer Grove Baptist Church. Shreveport suffered severely from this recession, and many residents left the area.
Today the city has largely transitioned to a service economy. In particular, the area has seen a rapid growth in the gaming industry, hosting various riverboat gambling casino
s, and was second only to New Orleans in Louisiana tourism before Hurricane Katrina
. Nearby Bossier City
is home to one of the three horse racetracks in the state, Harrah's Louisiana Downs. Casinos in Shreveport-Bossier include Sam's Town Casino, Eldorado Casino
, Horseshoe Casino
, Boomtown Casino, and Diamond Jacks Casino (formerly Isle of Capri). The Shreveport-Bossier Convention & Tourist Bureau is the official tourism information agency for the region. The bureau maintains a comprehensive database of restaurants, accommodations, attractions and events.
In May 2005, the Louisiana Boardwalk
, a 550,000 square foot (51,000 m²) shopping and entertainment complex, opened across the Red River in Bossier City, featuring outlet shopping, several restaurants, a 14-screen movie theater, a bowling complex, and a Bass Pro Shops
.
A new 350000 square feet (32,516.1 m²) convention center was recently completed in downtown Shreveport. It includes an 800-space parking garage. An adjoining 12-story Hilton Hotel
opened in early June 2007. The city's direct construction and ownership of the Hilton Hotel has been a controversial issue as to the proper use of public funds. The Shreveport Convention Center is managed by SMG.
Shreveport is also a major medical center of the region and state. The Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport
operates at expanded facilities once used by the former Confederate Memorial Medical Center. Major hospitals include Christus Schumpert, Willis Knighton, and the Shriners Hospital for Children.
As of November 2008, the recent excitement about the Haynesville Shale
has been a boom to Shreveport and the surrounding areas. Many new jobs in the natural gas industry are expected to be created over the next few years and local residents are enjoying large bonuses for signing mineral rights leases up to $25,000 per acre. However, the recent economic downturn has resulted in a lower market price for natural gas
and slower-than-expected drilling activity. The city itself stands to profit by leasing the mineral rights on public lands in the near future as neighboring municipalities have already done.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! #
! Employer
! # of Employees
|-
| 1
|State of Louisiana
|14,303
|-
|2
|Barksdale Air Force Base
|9,018
|-
|3
|Caddo Public Schools
|6,587
|-
|4
|Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport
|6,094
|-
|5
|Willis-Knighton Health System
|5,490
|-
|6
|Bossier Parish School System
|2,807
|-
|7
|City of Shreveport
|2,758
|-
|8
|Christus Schumpert Health System
|2,018
|-
|9
|Caesars
|2,000
|-
|10
|U.S. Support
|1,618
|}
and New York
, and led to Louisiana's nickname, "Hollywood South." Shreveport is no exception and has seen a number of films made in the city. Facilities include sound stage
s, the State Fair of Louisiana Fairgrounds Complex, and the Louisiana Wave Studio, a computer-controlled outdoor wave pool
.
Selected shot in Shreveport include:
Additionally, episodes of several television series have been shot in Shreveport and the surrounding area, including The Unit
, True Blood
, and The Gates
.
based in Shreveport. The district serves all of Caddo Parish. Its founding superintendent was Clifton Ellis Byrd, a Virginia
native, who assumed the chief administrative position in 1907 and continued until his death in 1926. C.E. Byrd High School, which was established in 1925 on Line Avenue at the intersection with East Kings Highway, bears his name.
Shreveport has several colleges, including the Methodist-affiliated Centenary College
(founded at Jackson, Louisiana
, in 1825; relocated to Shreveport in 1908) and Louisiana State University at Shreveport, which opened as a two-year institution in 1967. It became four-year in 1976. Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport
, the only medical school
in northern Louisiana, opened in 1969. Shreveport also has one of the largest nursing schools in northern Louisiana, the Northwestern State University
College of Nursing.
Southern University
, Shreveport (SUSLA), offers a two-year associate's degree
program. (The four-year institution, which is historically black, is in Baton Rouge.)
Founded in 1973, Louisiana Baptist University
and Theological Seminary is also located in Shreveport at 6301 Westport Avenue.
Ayers Career College is a Shreveport based college that offers career training in the medical and HVAC
fields.
Since July 2007, Shreveport is home to a local Remington College
campus. This location offers both diploma and degree programs, and is active in the Shreveport Community.
A second Methodist congregation is named for J. S. Noel, Jr. The church was begun as a mission in 1906. Methodist layman James Noel and his wife, Fannie, provided financially for the church in its early years. The congregation decided to name the church for the Noel's late son. Like First United Methodist, it opened in the current sanctuary in 1913 and grew rapidly. A fire gutted the building in 1925, and only a portion of the loss was covered by insurance
. The members expanded their ranks and rebuilt at the 500 Herndon location. The current Noel Memorial pastor is Flint Shea.
The large Holy Trinity
Catholic
Church located downtown was founded in 1858. Five priests died of yellow fever
in 1873. The current sanctuary in Romanesque revival
style architecture
dates to 1896.
A large First Baptist
Church was once pastored by Monroe E. Dodd
, an early radio
minister and founder of the former Dodd College for Girls. Former Governor Jimmie Davis
, a Shreveport city commissioner too, taught history
for a year under Dodd's tutelage.
Other large Baptist congregations include Calvary Baptist, Broadmoor Baptist and Summer Grove Baptist. The latter was previously pastored by Wayne L. DuBose, now a Baptist denominational officer. Westview Christian Church is an independent Christian church that serves the area as well with members from diverse denominational backgrounds.
Shreveport is also home to Shreveport Community Church, a non-denominational church formerly belonging to the Assemblies of God doctrine. The congregation has experienced exponential growth from the 100 members in 1950 to more than 6,000 it claims now. It is pastored by Denny Duron, who succeeded his father, Rodney Duron after 45 years at the pulpit. The church also has an excellent education program in Evangel Christian Academy, a pre-K through 12th grade private school that has produced an average of 1 million dollars of scholastic scholarshps for its graduating seniors every year. The church has also produced a biblical musical, "Songs of the Season", during the Christmas holidays for the past 20 years at the Historic Strand Theater in downtown Shreveport.
Particularly striking in size and architecture is St. Mark's Cathedral, an Episcopal
congregation at 908 Rutherford Street in the Highland section of Shreveport. St. Mark's dates its establishment to the first religious service held in Shreveport in 1839.
The Jewish community dates to the organization of Congregation Har El in 1859, which later became B'nai Zion Temple, today the city's Reform
congregation and largest synagogue. Agudath Achim, founded in 1905, as an Orthodox congregation is today a traditional Jewish synagogue. Rabbi Foster E. Kawaler is the current rabbi, is focused on rebuilding the congregation, which dwindled in size during the second half of the twentieth century. Shreveport, historically, has had a large and civic-minded Jewish community and has elected three Jewish mayors.
and a Central Hockey League
team, the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
, during the late 1990s and the 2000s. However, both teams shut down operations in 2010 and 2011.
Shreveport and Bossier City now share an all women's flat track roller derby team named the Twin City Knockers. The team is the newest competing sport in the area being founded in January 2010.
Baseball
in Shreveport has an extensive past. The current team is a Minor League Baseball
team known as the Shreveport-Bossier Captains. Baseball teams in Shreveport have gone through 8 different name changes and 7 different leagues all since 1895.
Shreveport's rugby
team, the Shreveport Rugby Football Club
, was founded in 1977, making it the oldest continuously competing sport team in Shreveport. It is a member of USA Rugby and participates in the Texas Rugby Football Union.
Shreveport is the home of the Shreveport Aftershock of the Independent Women's Football League
. The Aftershock play in the Midsouth Division of the Eastern Conference of the IWFL. The home field for the Aftershock is Independence Stadium.
Shreveport had an expansion team of the defunct World Football League
, the Shreveport Steamer, in 1974. They played in State Fair Stadium (now known as Independence Stadium) from September 1974 until October 1975. The Steamer were originally from Houston Texans and moved to Shreveport in September 1974. In 1974 they had a record of 7-12-1 and in 1975 5-7. Shreveport also had a Canadian Football League football team in the mid-1990s known as the Shreveport Pirates
. Bernard Glieberman
, a Detroit real estate developer, owned the Ottawa Rough Riders and in 1994, sold the team and then purchased the expansion franchise that ultimately wound up in Shreveport. He was allowed to take a handful of Ottawa players with him, including quarterback Terrence Jones. However, the Pirates were another American CFL team that ultimately became unsuccessful. Their first victory did not come until the 15th week of their initial season, and in 1995, all their victories were against Canadian teams. By 1996 the team had folded up.
Shreveport is the birthplace, home, or former home of several American football
stars and other noteworthy sports figures, among them:
Shreveport was mentioned as a potential city to house the NFL's New Orleans Saints
in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina
. It was passed over in favor of the much larger San Antonio
and Louisiana State University
in Baton Rouge, though the Saints ended up remaining in New Orleans. The Saints did play a game in Shreveport against the Dallas Cowboys
during the 2006 NFL preseason.
Shreveport's Independence Stadium has served as host of the Independence Bowl
since 1976. The stadium is also the home of the Port City Classic which started in 2010 when Louisiana Tech University defeated Grambling.Also Indpendece Stadium is the 3rd largest stadium in Louisiana with a seating capacity of 58,000 people only behind the Mercedes-Benz Superdome of 72,000 and Tiger Stadium of 96,000 in Baton Rouge
celebrations in Shreveport date to the mid-nineteenth century when krewes and parades were organized along the lines of those of New Orleans. Mardi Gras in Shreveport did not survive the cancellations caused by World War I, however. Attempts to revive it in the 1920s were unsuccessful and the last Carnival celebrations in Shreveport for decades were held in 1927. Mardi Gras in Shreveport was revived beginning in 1984 with the organization of the Krewe of Apollo. The Krewes of Gemini, Centaur, Aesculepius, Highland, Sobek, Harambee, and others, followed during the next decade and a half. The first krewe to revive parading was Gemini in 1989. Today, Mardi Gras is again an important part of the cultural life of the Shreveport metropolitan area.
. A second major paper, the afternoon Shreveport Journal, ceased publication in 1991.
Other smaller non-daily newspapers in the area include The Shreveport Sun, the Caddo Citizen. Bossier City is served by the daily Bossier Press-Tribune. The Barksdale Warrior is the weekly newspaper of record for the Barksdale Air Force Base
. In addition alternative publications include, The Forum Newsweekly
, City Lights, and SB Magazine.
Twice annually, North Louisiana History
, the journal of the North Louisiana Historical Association, is published in Shreveport.
Shreveport and Bossier City are served by two major cable television
systems: Shreveport is served by Comcast
and Bossier City is served by Suddenlink.
Shreveport is home to several radio stations, particularly KWKH
and KEEL
, having reputations beyond the city. The three commercial television outlets are KSLA-TV
, CBS
, founded in 1954; KTBS-TV
, ABC
, founded in 1955, and KTAL-TV
, arrived in Shreveport in September 1961 as the NBC
station. KTBS was an NBC station, with occasional ABC programs, from 1955–1961, when it switched affiliation to ABC. KTAL, formerly known as KCMC of Texarkana
, was a CBS outlet prior to conversion to NBC, when it began to cover Shreveport as well as Texarkana. Don Owen (born 1930), a member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission
from 1984–2002, is also a former news anchorman on KSLA.
is located in Bossier Parish across the river from Shreveport, which donated the land for its construction in the 1920s. Named for pioneer army aviator Lt. Eugene Hoy Barksdale and originally called Barksdale Army Air Field, it opened in 1933 and became Barksdale Air Force Base in 1947. Headquartered here are the Air Force Global Strike Command 8th Air Force, 2d Bomb Wing, and 917th Wing. The primary plane housed here is the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
. In earlier years, the base was the home to other famous planes, including the B-47 Stratojet
.
Shreveport is home to the 2-108th Cavalry
Squadron, the reconnaissances element of the 256th Infantry Brigade. Three of the squadron's four cavalry troops are located at 400 East Stoner Avenue in a historic armory known as "Fort Humbug". This was named due to the Confederate Army burning logs to look like cannons and placing them along the Red River. This caused Union ironclad ships sailing north on the Red River to be tricked into turning back south.
, a General Motors plant that is slated to close before or during the year 2012. The plant currently produces the Chevrolet Colorado
, GMC Canyon, and the Isuzu i-Series
.
-drawn street cars
that were converted to electric-motorized cars by 1890. Commuter rail systems in Shreveport flourished for many decades, and rail car lines extended out to rural areas. In 1930, trolleys and rail cars began to be replaced by buses, although motor buses did not finally replace all trolley service until the 1960s. In the 1960s, the Interstate Highway System
came to the area with the construction of Interstate 20
.
The local public transportation provider, SporTran, provides moderately extensive bus service throughout Shreveport and Bossier City. Sportran operates seven days a week on seventeen bus routes (five night routes) from 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m., with no night service on Sunday.
The highway system has a cross-hair and loop freeway structure similar to that of Texas
cities like Houston and Dallas. The loop consists of The Outer Loop Freeway Interstate 220
on the north and The Inner Loop Freeway, Louisiana Highway 3132
on the south, forming approximately an 8 miles (12.9 km) diameter semi-loop around downtown. Another loop is formed by the Bert Kouns Industrial Loop, (Louisiana Highway 526) and circles further south bisecting Interstate 49
.Interstate 49 is currently underconstuction to extend to highway 549 in Arkansas,in which the interstate will go into another state besides Louisiana
Shreveport lies along the route of the proposed Interstate 69
North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA) superhighway that will link Canada
, the U.S. industrial Midwest, Texas, and Mexico
.
(SHV), established in 1952, and is served by Allegiant Air
(to Las Vegas
), American Airlines
(to Dallas/Ft. Worth), Continental Airlines
(to Houston
) and Delta (to Atlanta and Memphis
). The smaller airport, Shreveport Downtown Airport
(DTN), was built in 1931 and is located north of the Downtown Business District along the Red River. It is currently a general aviation/reliever airport, but was originally Shreveport's commercial airport.
In the late '80s/early '90s, John Carmack, John Romero
, Adrian Carmack
, and Tom Hall
worked together at Softdisk
, a computer company located in Shreveport. While working at Softdisk, these programmers developed technology which eventually led to the creation of Wolfenstein 3D
and Doom. They later left Softdisk to form id Software
in order to produce these games.
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
It is the seat of Caddo Parish
Caddo Parish, Louisiana
Caddo Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Shreveport; as of 2000, the population was 252,161...
and extends along the Red River (most notably at Wright Island, the Charles and Marie Hamel Memorial Park, and Bagley Island) into neighboring Bossier Parish
Bossier Parish, Louisiana
Bossier Parish is named for Pierre Bossier, a 19th-century Louisiana state senator and U.S. representative from Natchitoches Parish.Bossier Parish was spared fighting on its soil during the American Civil War...
. Bossier City
Bossier City, Louisiana
Bossier City is a city in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States.As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of 61,315. Bossier City is closely tied to its larger sister city Shreveport, located on the western bank of the Red River. The Shreveport-Bossier City metropolitan area is the...
is separated from Shreveport by the Red River
Red River (Mississippi watershed)
The Red River, or sometimes the Red River of the South, is a major tributary of the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers in the southern United States of America. The river gains its name from the red-bed country of its watershed. It is one of several rivers with that name...
. The population was 199,311 at the 2010 census, and the Shreveport-Bossier City Metropolitan Area
Shreveport-Bossier City metropolitan area
The Shreveport-Bossier City Metropolitan Statistical Area is a metropolitan area in northwestern Louisiana that covers three parishes – Caddo, Bossier, and De Soto. As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 375,965...
population exceeds 375,910. The Shreveport-Bossier City Metropolitan Statistical Area ranks 117th in the United States, according to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
.
Shreveport was founded in 1836 by the Shreve Town Company, a corporation established to develop a town at the juncture of the newly navigable Red River and the Texas Trail, an overland route into the newly independent Republic of Texas and, prior to that time, into Mexico.
Shreveport is the commercial and cultural center of the Ark-La-Tex
Ark-La-Tex
The Ark-La-Tex, Arklatex, or ArkLaTex is a U.S. socio-economic region where Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, and Oklahoma intersect. Some prefer the more inclusive Arklatexoma...
, the area where Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, Louisiana, and Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
meet. Many people in the community refer to the two cities of Shreveport and Bossier City as "Shreveport-Bossier."
Early settlers
Shreveport was established to launch a town at the meeting point of the Red River and the Texas Trail. The Red River was cleared and made newly navigable by CaptainCaptain (nautical)
A sea captain is a licensed mariner in ultimate command of the vessel. The captain is responsible for its safe and efficient operation, including cargo operations, navigation, crew management and ensuring that the vessel complies with local and international laws, as well as company and flag...
Henry Miller Shreve
Henry Miller Shreve
Henry Miller Shreve was the American inventor and steamboat captain who opened the Mississippi, Ohio and Red rivers to steamboat navigation. Shreveport, Louisiana, is named in his honor....
, who commanded the United States Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
. A 180-mile (289 km) long natural logjam, the Great Raft
Great Raft
The Great Raft was a gigantic logjam or series of "rafts" that clogged the Red and Atchafalaya Rivers and was unique in North America.-Origin:It has been speculated that the trees in the jams were knocked down by an impact event...
, had previously obstructed passage to shipping. Shreve used a specially modified riverboat
Riverboat
A riverboat is a ship built boat designed for inland navigation on lakes, rivers, and artificial waterways. They are generally equipped and outfitted as work boats in one of the carrying trades, for freight or people transport, including luxury units constructed for entertainment enterprises, such...
, the Heliopolis, to remove the logjam. The company and the village of Shreve Town were named in Shreve's honor.
Shreve Town was originally contained within the boundaries of a section of land sold to the company by the indigenous Caddo Indians in the year of 1835. In 1838, Caddo Parish was created from the large Natchitoches Parish and Shreve Town became the parish seat. Shreveport remains the parish seat of Caddo Parish
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...
today. As other states, except Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, have counties: Louisiana has parishes. In essence, they are the same. On March 20, 1839, the town was incorporated as "Shreveport." Originally, the town consisted of sixty-four city blocks, created by eight streets running west from the Red River and eight streets running south from Cross Bayou, one of its tributaries.
Shreveport soon became a center of steamboat commerce, mostly cotton and agricultural crops. Shreveport also had a slave market, though slave trading was not as widespread as in other parts of the state. Steamboats plied the Red River, and stevedore
Stevedore
Stevedore, dockworker, docker, dock labourer, wharfie and longshoreman can have various waterfront-related meanings concerning loading and unloading ships, according to place and country....
s loaded and unloaded cargo. By 1860, Shreveport had a free population of 2,200 and 1,300 slaves within the city limits.
Civil War
During the American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Shreveport was the capital of Louisiana from 1863–1865, having succeeded, first, Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
, and then Opelousas
Opelousas, Louisiana
Opelousas is a city in and the parish seat of St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies at the junction of Interstate 49 and U.S. Route 190. The population was 22,860 at the 2000 census. Although the 2006 population estimate was 23,222, a 2004 annexation should put the city's...
after each fell under Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
control. The city was a Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
stronghold throughout the war and was the site of the headquarters of the Trans-Mississippi Department
Trans-Mississippi Department
The Trans-Mississippi Department was an administrative subdivision of the Confederate States of America west of the Mississippi, consisting of Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Indian Territories recognized by the CSA, and parts of Western Louisiana...
of the Confederate Army. Isolated from events in the east, the Civil War continued in the Trans-Mississippi theater for several weeks after Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
's surrender in April 1865, and the Trans-Mississippi was the last Confederate command to surrender, on May 26, 1865. Confederate President Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
attempted to flee to Shreveport when he left Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
but was captured en route in Irwinville
Irwinville, Georgia
Irwinville is an unincorporated community in Irwin County, Georgia, United States. It is best known as the site of Jefferson Davis's capture at the end of the Civil War. On May 9, 1865, Jefferson Davis and a small group of officials camped in this pine forest, not knowing that Union cavalry...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
.
Throughout the war, women in Shreveport did much to assist the soldiers fighting mostly far to the east. Historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
John D. Winters
John D. Winters
John David Winters was a historian at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana, best known for his definitive and award-winning study, The Civil War in Louisiana, still in print, published in 1963 and released in paperback in 1991.-Background:Winters was born to John David Winters, Sr...
in his The Civil War in Louisiana writes, accordingly:
"The women of Shreveport and vicinity labored long hours over their sewing machines to provide their men with adequate underclothing and uniforms. After the excitement of Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter is a Third System masonry coastal fortification located in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. The fort is best known as the site upon which the shots initiating the American Civil War were fired, at the Battle of Fort Sumter.- Construction :...
, there was a great rush to get the volunteer companies ready and off to New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. . . . Forming a Military Aid Society, the ladies of Shreveport requested donations of wool and cotton yarn for knitting socks. Joined by others, the Society collected blankets for the wounded and gave concerts and tableaux to raise funds. Tickets were sold for a diamond ring given by the mercantile house of Hyams and Brothers. . . .
A Confederate minstrel
Minstrel
A minstrel was a medieval European bard who performed songs whose lyrics told stories of distant places or of existing or imaginary historical events. Although minstrels created their own tales, often they would memorize and embellish the works of others. Frequently they were retained by royalty...
show gave two performances to raise money for the war effort in Shreveport in December 1862. The Shreveport Ladies Aid Society announced a grand dress ball for April 6, 1863. That same month students at the Mansfield Female College in Mansfield
Mansfield, Louisiana
Mansfield is a city in and the parish seat of DeSoto Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 5,001 at the 2010 census. Mansfield is part of the Shreveport–Bossier City Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
in De Soto Parish
De Soto Parish, Louisiana
-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 26,656 people, 9,691 households, and 6,967 families residing in the parish. The population density was 29 people per square mile . There were 11,204 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...
presented a vocal and instrumental concert to support the war.
The Red River, which had been opened by Shreve in the 1830s, remained navigable throughout the Civil War. However, water levels got so low at one point that Union Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
David Dixon Porter
David Dixon Porter
David Dixon Porter was a member of one of the most distinguished families in the history of the United States Navy. Promoted as the second man to the rank of admiral, after his adoptive brother David G...
was trapped with his gunboats north of Alexandria
Alexandria, Louisiana
Alexandria is a city in and the parish seat of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies on the south bank of the Red River in almost the exact geographic center of the state. It is the principal city of the Alexandria metropolitan area which encompasses all of Rapides and Grant parishes....
by the lack of clearance. By 1914, disuse, along with the rise of the railroad, again resulted in the river becoming unnavigable. In 1994, navigability was restored by the United States Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
with the completion of a series of lock-and-dam structures and a navigation channel. Today, Shreveport-Bossier City is again being developed as a port and shipping center.
Twentieth century
By the 1910s, Huddie William Ledbetter - also known as "Lead Belly," a blues singer and guitarist who eventually achieved worldwide fame - was performing for Shreveport audiences in St. Paul's Bottoms, the notorious red light districtRed Light District
Red Light District may refer to:* Red-light district - a neighborhood where prostitution is common* The Red Light District - the title of the 2004 album by rapper Ludacris* Red Light District Video - a pornography studio based in Los Angeles, California...
of Shreveport which operated legally from 1903-1917. Ledbetter began to develop his own style of music after exposure to a variety of musical influences on Shreveport's Fannin Street, a row of saloons, brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
s, and dance halls in the Bottoms. Bluesmen Jesse Thomas, Dave Alexander
Dave Alexander (blues musician)
Dave Alexander aka Omar Sharriff, Omar Hakim Khayam is an American Texas blues singer, and pianist.-Biography:...
, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd
Kenny Wayne Shepherd
Kenny Wayne Shepherd is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He has released several studio albums and experienced a rare level of commercial success both as a blues artist and a young musician.-Biography:Shepherd graduated Caddo Magnet High School in Shreveport, Louisiana...
and the early jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and ragtime
Ragtime
Ragtime is an original musical genre which enjoyed its peak popularity between 1897 and 1918. Its main characteristic trait is its syncopated, or "ragged," rhythm. It began as dance music in the red-light districts of American cities such as St. Louis and New Orleans years before being published...
composer Willian Christopher O'Hare were all from Shreveport.
Shreveport was also home to the Louisiana Hayride
Louisiana Hayride
Louisiana Hayride was a radio and later television country music show broadcast from the Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium in Shreveport, Louisiana, that during its heyday from 1948 to 1960 helped to launch the careers of some of the greatest names in American music...
radio program, broadcast weekly from the Shreveport Municipal Auditorium. During its heyday from 1948–1960, this program spawned the careers of some of the greatest names in American music. The Hayride featured names such as Hank Williams, Sr.
Hank Williams, Sr.
Hank Williams , born Hiram King Williams, was an American singer-songwriter and musician regarded as one of the most important country music artists of all time...
and Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, who made his broadcasting debut at this venue.
In 1963, headlines across the country reported that Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke
Samuel Cook, , better known under the stage name Sam Cooke, was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the pioneers and founders of soul music. He is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocal abilities and...
was arrested after his band tried to register at a "whites-only" Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn is a brand of hotels, formally a economy motel chain, forming part of the British InterContinental Hotels Group . It is one of the world's largest hotel chains with 238,440 bedrooms and 1,301 hotels globally. There are currently 5 hotels in the pipeline...
in Shreveport. In the months following, Cooke recorded the civil rights era song, "A Change Is Gonna Come."
A Change Is Gonna Come (song)
"A Change Is Gonna Come" is a 1964 single by R&B singer-songwriter Sam Cooke, written and first recorded in 1963 and released under the RCA Victor label shortly after his death in late 1964. Though only a modest hit for Cooke in comparison with his previous singles, the song came to exemplify the...
In 1969, the avant-garde band The Residents
The Residents
The Residents is an American art collective best known for avant-garde music and multimedia works. The first official release under the name of The Residents was in 1972, and the group has since released over sixty albums, numerous music videos and short films, three CD-ROM projects and ten DVDs....
was probably formed in Shreveport.
The coming of riverboat gambling to Shreveport in the mid-1990s spurred a "revitalization" of the downtown and riverfront areas. Many downtown streets were given a facelift through the "Streetscape" project, where brick sidewalks and crosswalks were built and statues, sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
s, and mosaic
Mosaic
Mosaic is the art of creating images with an assemblage of small pieces of colored glass, stone, or other materials. It may be a technique of decorative art, an aspect of interior decoration, or of cultural and spiritual significance as in a cathedral...
s were added. The Texas Street Bridge was lit with neon lights, that were met with a variety of opinions among residents.
Shreveport was named an All-American City
All-America City Award
The All-America City Award is given by the National Civic League annually to ten cities in the United States.The oldest community recognition program in the nation, the award recognizes communities whose citizens work together to identify and tackle community-wide challenges and achieve uncommon...
in 1953, 1979, and 1999.
Geography
Landscape
Shreveport sits on a low elevation overlooking the Red River. Pine forests, cotton fields, wetlands, and waterways mark the outskirts of the city.Climate
Shreveport has a humid subtropical climateHumid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
(Koppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Cfa). Rainfall is abundant, with the normal annual precipitation averaging nearly 47 inches (1.2 m), with monthly averages ranging from less than 3 inches (76.2 mm) in August to more than 5 inches (127 mm) in May. Severe thunderstorms with heavy rain
Rain
Rain is liquid precipitation, as opposed to non-liquid kinds of precipitation such as snow, hail and sleet. Rain requires the presence of a thick layer of the atmosphere to have temperatures above the melting point of water near and above the Earth's surface...
, hail
Hail
Hail is a form of solid precipitation. It consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice, each of which is referred to as a hail stone. Hail stones on Earth consist mostly of water ice and measure between and in diameter, with the larger stones coming from severe thunderstorms...
, damaging wind
Wind
Wind is the flow of gases on a large scale. On Earth, wind consists of the bulk movement of air. In outer space, solar wind is the movement of gases or charged particles from the sun through space, while planetary wind is the outgassing of light chemical elements from a planet's atmosphere into space...
s and tornadoes occur in the area during the spring and summer months. The winter months are normally mild, with an average of 35 days of freezing or below-freezing temperatures per year, with ice and sleet storms possible. Summer months are hot and humid, with maximum temperatures exceeding 90 degrees an average of 91 days per year, with high to very high relative average humidity, sometimes exceeding the 90 percent level.
Neighborhoods
Shreveport encompasses many different neighborhoods and districts. Below is a list of the various areas in Greater Shreveport.{|
|- valign="top"
|
- Acadiana Place
- Allendale
- Anderson Island
- Azalea Gardens
- BlanchardBlanchard, LouisianaBlanchard is a town in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 2,050 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Shreveport–Bossier City Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Blanchard is located at ....
- Braemar Estates
- Broadmoor
- Broadmoor Terrace
- Brunswick Place
- Caddo Heights
- Cedar Grove
- Centenary Area
- Chapel Creek
- Cherokee Park
- Cooper Road/MLK Area
- Cross Lake, some not in city
- Eden Gardens
- Ellerbe Road Estates
- Ellerbe Woods
- Evangeline Oaks
- Fairfield Heights
- Forbing
- Glen Iris
- GreenwoodGreenwood, LouisianaGreenwood is a town in southern Caddo Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 2,458 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Shreveport-Bossier City Metropolitan Statistical Area.Greenwood was established in 1839...
- Greenbrook
- The Haven
- Hidden Trace
- Highlands
- Hollywood
- Hollywood Heights
- Ingleside
- Jackson Square
- Jewella-South Park
- Hyde Park
- Keithville
- Lakeside
- Lakeside Acres
- Ledbetter Heights or The Bottoms
- Long Lake Estates
- Lynbrook
- Madison Park
- MooretownMooretown, Shreveport, LouisianaMooretown is a neighborhood within the city limits of Shreveport, Louisiana, United States. It is located approximately 5 miles West of downtown. At one time, Mooretown was an independent town. In the early 1900s, a group of African-Americans led by Giles D. Moore formed a completely...
- Norris Ferry Crossing
- Norris Ferry Estates
- Norris Ferry Landing
- North Highlands
- Parkside
- Pines Road
- Pierremont
- Pierremont Place
- Pierremont Ridge
- Provenance
- Queensborough
- St. Charles Place
- Shreve Island
- Shreve Lake Estates
- South Broadmoor
- South Highlands
- Southern Hills
- Southern Trace
- Spring Lake
- Stoner Hill
- Sunset Acres
- Towne South
- Twelve Oaks
- Shadow Pines Estates
- Stoner Hill
- University Terrace
- Waterside
- West End
- Western Hills
- Wright Island
- Yarborough
In the Highland section, along Fairfield Avenue, more than a half dozen homes have been designated as historic. These include residences once occupied by Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana
Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana
The Office of Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana is the second highest state office in Louisiana. The current Lieutenant Governor is Jay Dardenne, a Republican...
Thomas Charles Barret, who served early in the 20th century; a Broadway director, Joshua Logan
Joshua Logan
Joshua Lockwood Logan III was an American stage and film director and writer.-Early years:Logan was born in Texarkana, Texas, the son of Susan and Joshua Lockwood Logan. When he was three years old his father committed suicide...
; a former governor and wife, Ruffin Pleasant
Ruffin Pleasant
Ruffin Golson Pleasant was the 36th Governor of Louisiana from 1916–1920, who is remembered for having mobilized his state for World War I...
; a physician and developer, George W. Robinson; a Coca Cola bottler, Zehntner Biedenharn; the first mayor of Bossier City, Ewald Max Hoyer, who took office in 1907; and a major real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
owner, John B. Slattery, whose home is one of five remaining structures in Shreveport designed by the noted architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
N.S. Allen.
Demographics
As of the 2011 estimated census the population of Shreveport was 215,192. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 41.2% white, 54.7% black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 1.3% Asian, 0.9% from some other race and 1.5% from two or more races. 2.5% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 200,145 people, 78,662 households, and 50,422 families residing in the city limits. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,940.5 people per square mile (749.2/km²). There were 86,802 housing units, at an average density of 841.6 per square mile (324.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 50.80% African American, 46.66% White, 0.79% Asian, 0.31% Native American, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.55% of the population. From 1990 to 2000, the city's white non-Hispanic population declined from 53.6% to 45.9%, a -15% (-7 percentage point) decline. By 2004, among all groups, Shreveport gained 3.9% of its 2000 census population.
There were 78,662 households, out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.3% were married couples living together, 21.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.12. Population ages ranked as follows: 26.9% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. The city ranks third in the nation of cities over 100,000 population with significant gender disparity: for every 100 females there were only 87.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were just 82.1 males. According to 2005 FBI statistics, Shreveport ranks 18th in overall crime rate among cities of 100,000-250,000 persons, with a murder rate of 19.6 per 100,000 population.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,526, 72.4% of the national median of $42,148, and the median income for a family was $37,126. Males had a median income of $31,278 versus $21,659 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $17,759. About 18.7% of families and 22.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.3% of those under age 18 and 16.3% of those age 65 or over.
Government and politics
Founded in 1836 and incorporated in 1839, Shreveport is the parish seat of Caddo ParishCaddo Parish, Louisiana
Caddo Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Shreveport; as of 2000, the population was 252,161...
. It is part of the First Judicial District, housing the Parish courthouse. It also houses the Louisiana Second Circuit Court of Appeal, which consists of nine elected judges representing twenty parishes in northwest Louisiana. A portion of east Shreveport extends into Bossier Parish
Bossier Parish, Louisiana
Bossier Parish is named for Pierre Bossier, a 19th-century Louisiana state senator and U.S. representative from Natchitoches Parish.Bossier Parish was spared fighting on its soil during the American Civil War...
due to the changing course of the Red River
Red River (Mississippi watershed)
The Red River, or sometimes the Red River of the South, is a major tributary of the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers in the southern United States of America. The river gains its name from the red-bed country of its watershed. It is one of several rivers with that name...
.
The city of Shreveport has a mayor-council government
Mayor-council government
The mayor–council government system, sometimes called the mayor–commission government system, is one of the two most common forms of local government for municipalities...
. The elected municipal officials include the mayor, Cedric Glover
Cedric Glover
Cedric Bradford Glover is the Democratic mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana -- the first African American to hold the position.Outgoing Mayor Keith Hightower was term-limited in 2006, after having won election in both 1998 and 2002...
, and seven members of the city council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
. Glover, a former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
, is the first African American to hold the position. Shreveport became a majority black city in the 2000 census.
Under the mayor-council government, the mayor serves as the executive officer of the city. As the city's chief administrator and official representative, the mayor is responsible for the general management of the city and for seeing that all laws and ordinance
Local ordinance
A local ordinance is a law usually found in a municipal code.-United States:In the United States, these laws are enforced locally in addition to state law and federal law.-Japan:...
s are enforced.
Economy
Shreveport was once a major player in United States oil business and at one time could boast Standard Oil of LouisianaStandard Oil of Louisiana
Standard Oil of Louisiana of Shreveport, Louisiana was created in 1909 as a subsidiary of Standard Oil of New Jersey , a part of the Standard Oil trust. It was known as Stanocola until 1924. In 1944 Standard Oil of Louisiana was absorbed into its parent company.-References:*Droz, R.V. . ....
as a locally based company. The Louisiana branch was later absorbed by Standard Oil of New Jersey. In the 1980s, the oil and gas industry suffered a large economic downturn, and many companies cut back jobs or went out of business, including a large retail shopping mall, South Park Mall, which closed in the late 1990s and is now Summer Grove Baptist Church. Shreveport suffered severely from this recession, and many residents left the area.
Today the city has largely transitioned to a service economy. In particular, the area has seen a rapid growth in the gaming industry, hosting various riverboat gambling casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
s, and was second only to New Orleans in Louisiana tourism before Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
. Nearby Bossier City
Bossier City, Louisiana
Bossier City is a city in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States.As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of 61,315. Bossier City is closely tied to its larger sister city Shreveport, located on the western bank of the Red River. The Shreveport-Bossier City metropolitan area is the...
is home to one of the three horse racetracks in the state, Harrah's Louisiana Downs. Casinos in Shreveport-Bossier include Sam's Town Casino, Eldorado Casino
Eldorado Casino
The Eldorado Casino is a casino located in Henderson, Nevada. It is owned by Boyd Gaming Corporation.- History :Purchased by Sam Boyd and Bill Boyd in 1962, it was the base for what later became the Boyd Group and then the Boyd Gaming Corporation....
, Horseshoe Casino
Horseshoe Bossier City
Horseshoe Bossier City is a riverboat casino located in Bossier City, Louisiana, across the river from Shreveport. Horseshoe Bossier City has 606 suites in its 25-story hotel tower. Horseshoe has over 1,500 slot machines and over 60 table games...
, Boomtown Casino, and Diamond Jacks Casino (formerly Isle of Capri). The Shreveport-Bossier Convention & Tourist Bureau is the official tourism information agency for the region. The bureau maintains a comprehensive database of restaurants, accommodations, attractions and events.
In May 2005, the Louisiana Boardwalk
Louisiana Boardwalk
The Louisiana Boardwalk is a shopping center combining retail shopping, restaurants, and entertainment. It is located in Bossier City, Louisiana, across from two casinos....
, a 550,000 square foot (51,000 m²) shopping and entertainment complex, opened across the Red River in Bossier City, featuring outlet shopping, several restaurants, a 14-screen movie theater, a bowling complex, and a Bass Pro Shops
Bass Pro Shops
Bass Pro Shops is a privately held retailer of hunting, fishing, camping and related outdoor recreation merchandise. Bass Pro Shops is known for a large selection of hunting, fishing, and other outdoor gear.-History:The owner, John L...
.
A new 350000 square feet (32,516.1 m²) convention center was recently completed in downtown Shreveport. It includes an 800-space parking garage. An adjoining 12-story Hilton Hotel
Hilton Hotel Convention Center (Shreveport)
The Hilton Shreveport hotel is located in Downtown Shreveport near the Riverfront District. It adjoins the new Shreveport Convention Center, which is the second largest in the state of Louisiana. It was completed in mid 2007 as the second phase of the convention center. The hotel has 313 rooms and...
opened in early June 2007. The city's direct construction and ownership of the Hilton Hotel has been a controversial issue as to the proper use of public funds. The Shreveport Convention Center is managed by SMG.
Shreveport is also a major medical center of the region and state. The Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport is the academic center for medicine and medical research in North Louisiana. It is located in Shreveport and is part of the Louisiana State University System. The medical school opened in 1969. One of its founders was Dr. Joe E...
operates at expanded facilities once used by the former Confederate Memorial Medical Center. Major hospitals include Christus Schumpert, Willis Knighton, and the Shriners Hospital for Children.
As of November 2008, the recent excitement about the Haynesville Shale
Haynesville Shale
The Haynesville Shale is an informal, popular name for a rock formation that underlies large parts of southwestern Arkansas, northwest Louisiana, and East Texas. It lies depths of 10,500 to 13,000 feet below the land’s surface. It is part of a large rock formation, which is known by geologists as...
has been a boom to Shreveport and the surrounding areas. Many new jobs in the natural gas industry are expected to be created over the next few years and local residents are enjoying large bonuses for signing mineral rights leases up to $25,000 per acre. However, the recent economic downturn has resulted in a lower market price for natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
and slower-than-expected drilling activity. The city itself stands to profit by leasing the mineral rights on public lands in the near future as neighboring municipalities have already done.
Top Employers
According to the City's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the metropolitan area are:{| class="wikitable"
|-
! #
! Employer
! # of Employees
|-
| 1
|State of Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
|14,303
|-
|2
|Barksdale Air Force Base
Barksdale Air Force Base
Barksdale Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately east-southeast of Bossier City, Louisiana.The host unit at Barksdale is the 2d Bomb Wing , the oldest Bomb Wing in the Air Force. It is assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command's Eighth Air Force...
|9,018
|-
|3
|Caddo Public Schools
Caddo Public Schools (Louisiana)
Caddo Public Schools is a school district based in Shreveport, Louisiana, United States. The district serves all of Caddo Parish.Its founding superintendent was Clifton Ellis Byrd, a Virginia native, who assumed the chief administrative position in 1907 and continued until his death in 1926. C.E...
|6,587
|-
|4
|Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport is the academic center for medicine and medical research in North Louisiana. It is located in Shreveport and is part of the Louisiana State University System. The medical school opened in 1969. One of its founders was Dr. Joe E...
|6,094
|-
|5
|Willis-Knighton Health System
|5,490
|-
|6
|Bossier Parish School System
|2,807
|-
|7
|City of Shreveport
|2,758
|-
|8
|Christus Schumpert Health System
|2,018
|-
|9
|Caesars
|2,000
|-
|10
|U.S. Support
|1,618
|}
Film industry
Tax incentives offered by the state government have given Louisiana the third largest film industry in the country, behind CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and led to Louisiana's nickname, "Hollywood South." Shreveport is no exception and has seen a number of films made in the city. Facilities include sound stage
Sound stage
In common usage, a sound stage is a soundproof, hangar-like structure, building, or room, used for the production of theatrical filmmaking and television production, usually located on a secure movie studio property.-Overview:...
s, the State Fair of Louisiana Fairgrounds Complex, and the Louisiana Wave Studio, a computer-controlled outdoor wave pool
Wave pool
A wave pool is a swimming pool in which there are artificially generated, reasonably large waves, similar to the ocean's. Wave pools are often a major feature of water parks...
.
Selected shot in Shreveport include:
- The GuardianThe Guardian (2006 film)The Guardian is a 2006 action-adventure drama film starring Kevin Costner, Ashton Kutcher, and Melissa Sagemiller. The film was released on September 29, 2006, and was directed by Andrew Davis, director of The Fugitive...
(2006): Ashton KutcherAshton KutcherChristopher Ashton Kutcher , best known as Ashton Kutcher, is an American actor, producer, former fashion model and comedian, best known for his portrayal of Michael Kelso in the Fox sitcom That '70s Show...
and Kevin CostnerKevin CostnerKevin Michael Costner is an American actor, singer, musician, producer, director, and businessman. He has been nominated for three BAFTA Awards, won two Academy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. Costner's roles include Lt. John J... - Not Like Everyone ElseNot Like Everyone ElseNot Like Everyone Else is a 2006 TV movie that aired on Lifetime Television and starred Alia Shawkat, Illeana Douglas & Eric Schweig. It is based on a true story of events that happened to Brandi Blackbear in 1999-2000.-Plot:...
(2006) (TV Movie) - Factory GirlFactory GirlFactory Girl is a 2006 American biographical film based on the life of 1960s underground film star, socialite, and Warhol Superstar Edie Sedgwick. The film premiered in Los Angeles on December 29, 2006.-Plot:...
(2006): Sienna MillerSienna MillerSienna Rose Diana Miller is a British-American actress, model, and fashion designer, best known for her roles in Layer Cake, Alfie, Factory Girl, The Edge of Love and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. In 2007, the London Film Criticsnamed her British Actress of the Year for Interview...
and Guy PearceGuy PearceGuy Edward Pearce is an English-born Australian actor and musician, known for his roles as Leonard Shelby in Christopher Nolan's Memento, Lieutenant Ed Exley in L.A... - Initiation of Sarah (2006): Morgan FairchildMorgan FairchildMorgan Fairchild is an American actress. She achieved prominence during the late 1970s and early 1980s with continuing roles in several television series, in which she usually conveyed a glamorous image. Fairchild has also performed in live theater and played guest roles in television comedies...
and Jennifer TillyJennifer TillyJennifer Tilly is an American actress and poker player. She is an Academy Award nominee, and a World Series of Poker Ladies' Event bracelet winner. She is the older sister of actress Meg Tilly.-Early life:... - The Great DebatersThe Great DebatersThe Great Debaters is a 2007 American biopic period drama film directed by and starring two-time Academy Award winner Denzel Washington and produced by Oprah Winfrey and her production company, Harpo Productions...
(2007): Denzel WashingtonDenzel WashingtonDenzel Hayes Washington Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter, director, and film producer. He first rose to prominence when he joined the cast of the medical drama, St. Elsewhere, playing Dr... - Mr. BrooksMr. BrooksMr. Brooks is a 2007 thriller film directed by Bruce A. Evans starring Kevin Costner, Demi Moore, Dane Cook, and William Hurt. It was released on June 1, 2007...
(2007): Kevin CostnerKevin CostnerKevin Michael Costner is an American actor, singer, musician, producer, director, and businessman. He has been nominated for three BAFTA Awards, won two Academy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. Costner's roles include Lt. John J...
, William HurtWilliam HurtWilliam McGill Hurt is an American stage and film actor. He received his acting training at the Juilliard School, and began acting on stage in the 1970s. Hurt made his film debut as a troubled scientist in the science-fiction feature Altered States , for which he received a Golden Globe nomination...
, and Demi MooreDemi MooreDemi Guynes Kutcher , known professionally as Demi Moore, is an American actress. After minor roles in film and a role in the soap opera General Hospital, Moore established her career in films such as St... - Premonition (2007): Sandra BullockSandra BullockSandra Annette Bullock is an Academy Award winning American actress and producer who rose to fame in the 1990s after roles in successful films such as Demolition Man, Speed, The Net, A Time to Kill, and While You Were Sleeping. She continued with films such as Miss Congeniality, The Lake House,...
and Julian McMahonJulian McMahonJulian Dana William McMahon is an Australian actor and former fashion model. He is best known for his portrayals of Cole Turner in The WB hit series Charmed, womanizing plastic surgeon Christian Troy on the Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning TV show Nip/Tuck, and Doctor Doom in Fantastic Four and... - Blonde AmbitionBlonde AmbitionBlonde Ambition is a film released in December 2007 and inspired by the theme of the Academy Award-winning movie Working Girl starring singer/actress Jessica Simpson playing the part of a small town girl who moves to New York City and rises up into a career as a business woman...
(2007): Jessica SimpsonJessica SimpsonJessica Ann Simpson is an American recording artist, actress, television personality, and fashion designer whose rise to fame began in 1999. Since that time, Simpson has achieved many recording milestones, starred in several television shows, movies, and commercials, launched a line of hair and...
and Luke WilsonLuke WilsonLuke Cunningham Wilson is an American film actor known for his roles in Old School, Bottle Rocket, The Royal Tenenbaums, Legally Blonde, Idiocracy and Death at a Funeral.-Early life:... - CleanerCleaner (film)Cleaner is a 2007 thriller film directed by Renny Harlin, and starring Samuel L. Jackson, Ed Harris, and Eva Mendes.-Plot:Single father and former cop Tom Cutler has an unusual occupation: he owns and operates a crime scene cleanup company, and performs much of the duties himself...
(2007): Samuel L. JacksonSamuel L. JacksonSamuel Leroy Jackson is an American film and television actor and film producer. After becoming involved with the Civil Rights Movement, he moved on to acting in theater at Morehouse College, and then films. He had several small roles such as in the film Goodfellas before meeting his mentor,... - The MistThe Mist (film)The Mist is a 2007 American science-fiction horror film based on the 1980 novella of the same name by Stephen King. The film is written and directed by Frank Darabont, who had previously adapted Stephen King's works The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile...
(2007): Thomas JaneThomas JaneThomas Jane is an American actor known for his roles in the 1999 film Deep Blue Sea, the 2001 TV film 61*, the 2004 film The Punisher and the 2007 Stephen King adaptation The Mist...
, Toby JonesToby JonesToby Edward Heslewood Jones is an English actor.-Early life:Jones was born in Hammersmith, London, the son of actors Jennifer and Freddie Jones...
, and Marcia Gay HardenMarcia Gay HardenMarcia Gay Harden is an American film and theatre actress. Harden's breakthrough role was in Miller's Crossing and then The First Wives Club which was followed by several roles which gained her wider fame including the hit comedy Flubber and Meet Joe Black... - The Last LullabyThe Last LullabyThe Last Lullaby is 2008 drama/noir film starring Tom Sizemore, and Sasha Alexander. Filming took place in Shreveport, Louisiana.- Plot :Price is an ex-hitman who retired to live the "easy life" only to find himself restless...
(2008): Tom SizemoreTom SizemoreThomas Edward "Tom" Sizemore, Jr. is an American film and television actor and producer. He is known for his roles in films such as Saving Private Ryan, Strange Days, Pearl Harbor, Heat and Black Hawk Down.... - Wonderful WorldWonderful World (film)Wonderful World is a 2009 drama film directed and written by Joshua Goldin, who in this movie makes his directorial debut. The film stars Matthew Broderick, Sanaa Lathan, Michael K. Williams and Jodelle Ferland....
(2007): Matthew BroderickMatthew BroderickMatthew Broderick is an American film and stage actor who, among other roles, played the title character in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Adult Simba in The Lion King film series, and Leo Bloom in the film and Broadway productions of The Producers.He has won two Tony Awards, one in 1983 for his... - Soul Men (2008) Samuel L. JacksonSamuel L. JacksonSamuel Leroy Jackson is an American film and television actor and film producer. After becoming involved with the Civil Rights Movement, he moved on to acting in theater at Morehouse College, and then films. He had several small roles such as in the film Goodfellas before meeting his mentor,...
, Bernie MacBernie MacBernard Jeffrey McCullough , better known by his stage name, Bernie Mac, was an American actor and comedian. Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, Mac gained popularity as a stand-up comedian. He joined comedians Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer, and D. L... - Welcome Home Roscoe JenkinsWelcome Home Roscoe JenkinsWelcome Home Roscoe Jenkins is a 2008 American comedy film written and directed by Malcolm D. Lee and distributed by Universal Pictures. The film features an all star cast featuring: Martin Lawrence, Michael Clarke Duncan, Mike Epps, Mo'Nique, Cedric the Entertainer, Louis CK and James Earl...
(2008): Michael Clarke DuncanMichael Clarke DuncanMichael Clarke Duncan is an American actor, best known for his breakout role as John Coffey in The Green Mile, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe.- Early life :...
and Martin LawrenceMartin LawrenceMartin Fitzgerald Lawrence is an American actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and stand up comedian. He came to fame during the 1990s, establishing a Hollywood career as a leading actor, most notably the films Bad Boys, Blue Streak, and Big Momma's House... - The LongshotsThe LongshotsThe Longshots is a 2008 biopic family comedy-drama film sports movie based on the real life events of Jasmine Plummer, the first female to participate in the Pop Warner football tournament....
(2008): Ice CubeIce CubeO'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...
, Keke PalmerKeke PalmerLauren Keyana "Keke" Palmer is an American actress and singer who rose to fame for her performance in the 2006 film Akeelah and the Bee. She also starred as the title character in the Nickelodeon sitcom True Jackson, VP...
, and Fred DurstFred DurstWilliam Frederick "Fred" Durst is an American musician, director, producer and actor, well known as the frontman of the band Limp Bizkit.-Early life:... - Disaster MovieDisaster MovieDisaster Movie is a 2008 parody film. It is written and directed by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, and stars Carmen Electra, Kim Kardashian, Matt Lanter, Nicole Parker, Crista Flanagan, Vanessa Minnillo, and Ike Barinholtz...
(2008): Vanessa Minillo, Matt LanterMatt LanterMatthew Mackendree "Matt" Lanter is an American actor, former reality TV personality and model, perhaps best known for his roles in Commander in Chief, 90210, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Disaster Movie, Sorority Row and Vampires Suck.-Early life and career:Lanter was born in Massillon, Stark...
, and Kim KardashianKim KardashianKimberly Noel "Kim" Kardashian is an American socialite, television personality, model, actress and businesswoman. She is known for the E! reality series that she shares with her family—Keeping Up with the Kardashians, and its spin-offs including Kourtney and Kim Take New York... - Year One (2008): Jack BlackJack BlackJack Black , is an American actor and musician, notably of Tenacious D.Jack Black may also refer to:* Jack Black , late 19th - early 20th Century author and hobo* Jack Black , drummer for 1970s UK punk band The Boys...
and Michael CeraMichael CeraMichael Austin Cera is a Canadian actor best known for his roles in Arrested Development, Youth in Revolt, Superbad, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist and Juno. Cera received the 2008 Canadian Comedy Award for best male performance for his work in Superbad.-Early... - W.W. (film)W. is a 2008 American film based on the life and presidency of George W. Bush. It was produced and directed by Oliver Stone, written by Stanley Weiser, and stars Josh Brolin as Bush, with a cast that includes Ellen Burstyn, Elizabeth Banks, James Cromwell, Thandie Newton, Jeffrey Wright, Scott...
(2008): Josh BrolinJosh BrolinJosh James Brolin is an American actor. He has acted in theater, film and television roles since 1985, and won acting awards for his roles in the films W., No Country for Old Men, Milk and True Grit.-Early life:...
, Richard DreyfussRichard DreyfussRichard Stephen Dreyfuss is an American actor best known for starring in a number of film, television, and theater roles since the late 1960s, including the films American Graffiti, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Goodbye Girl, Whose Life Is It Anyway?, Stakeout, Always, What About...
, and James CromwellJames CromwellJames Oliver Cromwell is an American film and television actor. Some of his more notable roles are in Babe , for which he earned Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, Star Trek: First Contact , L.A... - Front of the Class (2008): Treat WilliamsTreat WilliamsRichard Treat Williams is a Screen Actors Guild Award–nominated American actor and children's book author who has appeared on film, stage and television...
, Patricia HeatonPatricia HeatonPatricia Helen Heaton is an American actress, comedienne, producer and model, best known for portraying Debra Barone on the CBS sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond from 1996 to 2005, for which she won two Emmy Awards.... - Mad MoneyMad MoneyMad Money is an American finance television program hosted by Jim Cramer that began airing on CNBC on March 14, 2005. Its main focus is investment and speculation, particularly in publicly traded stocks...
(2008): Diane KeatonDiane KeatonDiane Keaton is an American film actress, director, producer, and screenwriter. Keaton began her career on stage, and made her screen debut in 1970...
, Ted DansonTed DansonEdward Bridge “Ted” Danson III is an American actor best known for his role as central character Sam Malone in the sitcom Cheers, and his role as Dr. John Becker on the series Becker. He also plays a recurring role on Larry David's HBO sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm and starred alongside Glenn Close...
, Katie HolmesKatie HolmesKatherine Noelle "Katie" Holmes is an American actress who first achieved fame for her role as Joey Potter on The WB television teen drama Dawson's Creek from 1998 to 2003. Her movie roles have included the blockbuster Batman Begins along with art house films such as The Ice Storm and thrillers...
and Queen LatifahQueen LatifahDana Elaine Owens , better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American singer, rapper, and actress. Her work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy... - Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008): John ChoJohn ChoJohn Yohan Cho is an American actor and musician, best known for his roles in the American Pie films and the Harold & Kumar films . He also starred in the critically acclaimed hit film Better Luck Tomorrow...
and Kal PennKal PennKalpen Suresh Modi , best known by his stage name Kal Penn, is an American film and television actor, producer, and civil servant.... - Deadly Exchange (2009): John McTiernanJohn McTiernanJohn Campbell McTiernan, Jr. is an American film director and producer, best known for his action films and most identifiable with the three films he directed back-to-back: Predator, Die Hard, and The Hunt for Red October, along with later movies such as Last Action Hero, Die Hard with a...
- The Killing RoomThe Killing RoomThe Killing Room is a 2009 psychological thriller film directed by Jonathan Liebesman and starring Chloë Sevigny, Nick Cannon, and Timothy Hutton. It premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival...
(2009): Chloë SevignyChloë SevignyChloë Stevens Sevigny is an American film actress, fashion designer and former model. Sevigny gained reputation for her eclectic fashion sense and developed a broad career in the fashion industry in the mid 1990s, both for modeling and for her work at New York's Sassy magazine, which labeled her...
, Nick CannonNick CannonNicholas Scott "Nick" Cannon is an American actor, comedian, rapper, entrepreneur, record producer, radio, and television personality. On television, Cannon began as a teenage sketch comedian on All That before going on to host The Nick Cannon Show, Wild 'N Out, and America's Got Talent...
, and Timothy HuttonTimothy HuttonTimothy Tarquin Hutton is an American actor. He is the youngest actor to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, which he won at the age of 20 for his performance as Conrad Jarrett in Ordinary People . He currently stars as Nathan "Nate" Ford on the TNT series Leverage.-Early life:Timothy... - I Hope They Serve Beer in HellI Hope They Serve Beer in Hell (film)I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell is a 2009 American comedy film loosely based on the work and persona of writer Tucker Max, who co-wrote the screenplay. In an interview with Shave Magazine Max explained that the film is not "a direct recount or retelling. It says it is based on true events because it...
(2009): Matt Czuchry, Jesse BradfordJesse Bradford- Early life :Bradford was born Jesse Bradford Watrouse in Norwalk, Connecticut, the only child of actors Terry Porter and Curtis Watrouse, who appeared in commercials, soap operas, and industrial films. His mother also played his character's mother in Hackers...
and Geoff StultsGeoff StultsGeoffrey Manton "Geoff" Stults is an American actor. He is best known for his regular roles on 7th Heaven, October Road and Happy Town. During the 2011 network upfronts, Fox announced it was picking up The Finder, a spin-off of Bones, in which Stults will star as the title character.-Early... - Haynesville (2010) (Documentary)
- 6 Month Rule (2010)
- Vampires Suck (2010): Matt Lanter, Diedrich Bader, Jenn Proske
- Straw DogsStraw Dogs (2011 film)Straw Dogs is a 2011 American thriller film directed, produced, and written by Rod Lurie. It is a remake of Sam Peckinpah's 1971 film of the same name, itself based on the Gordon Williams novel The Siege of Trencher's Farm.-Plot:...
(2011) James MarsdenJames MarsdenJames Paul Marsden is an American actor, singer and former Versace model. He is known for playing the superhero Cyclops in the first three X-Men films and for his roles in other commercially successful films such as Hop, Superman Returns, Hairspray, Enchanted, The Box, and 27 Dresses.-Early life...
, Kate BosworthKate BosworthCatherine Ann "Kate" Bosworth is an American actress. Bosworth starred in the television series Young Americans, in which she played Bella Banks. She became known with a leading role in 2002's Blue Crush. The following year, Bosworth played the teenage girlfriend of porn star John Holmes in... - Drive AngryDrive AngryDrive Angry is a 2011 American action film starring Nicolas Cage and directed by Patrick Lussier. It was released on February 25, 2011.- Plot :...
(2011) Nicolas CageNicolas CageNicolas Cage is an American actor, producer and director, having appeared in over 60 films including Raising Arizona , The Rock , Face/Off , Gone in 60 Seconds , Adaptation , National Treasure , Ghost Rider , Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans , and... - Battle: Los AngelesBattle: Los AngelesBattle: Los Angeles is a 2011 American military science fiction war film directed by Jonathan Liebesman, and starring Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriguez, Ramon Rodriguez, Bridget Moynahan, Ne-Yo and Michael Peña...
(2011) Michelle RodriguezMichelle RodriguezMayte Michelle Rodríguez , known professionally as Michelle Rodriguez, is an American actress. Following on from her breakthrough role in 2000's Girlfight, she is best known for playing tough-girl roles and starring in Hollywood blockbusters such as The Fast and the Furious, Resident Evil,...
, Bridget MoynahanBridget MoynahanKathryn Bridget Moynahan , best known as Bridget Moynahan, is an American model and actress. After graduating from Longmeadow High School in 1989, Moynahan pursued a career in modeling. She was signed by a modeling agency, which led her to appear in department store catalogs and the covers of...
Additionally, episodes of several television series have been shot in Shreveport and the surrounding area, including The Unit
The Unit
The Unit is an American action-drama television series that focuses on a top-secret military unit modeled after the real-life U.S. Army special operations unit commonly known as Delta Force...
, True Blood
True Blood
True Blood is an American television series created and produced by Alan Ball. It is based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris, detailing the co-existence of vampires and humans in Bon Temps, a fictional, small town in the state of Louisiana...
, and The Gates
The Gates
The Gates was a site-specific work of art by Christo and Jeanne-Claude. The artists installed 7,503 vinyl "gates" along 23 miles of pathways in Central Park in New York City. From each gate hung a panel of deep saffron-colored nylon fabric...
.
Education
Caddo Public Schools is a school districtSchool district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
based in Shreveport. The district serves all of Caddo Parish. Its founding superintendent was Clifton Ellis Byrd, a Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
native, who assumed the chief administrative position in 1907 and continued until his death in 1926. C.E. Byrd High School, which was established in 1925 on Line Avenue at the intersection with East Kings Highway, bears his name.
Shreveport has several colleges, including the Methodist-affiliated Centenary College
Centenary College of Louisiana
Centenary College of Louisiana is a primarily undergraduate, liberal arts and sciences college in Shreveport, Louisiana. The college is one of the founding members of the Associated Colleges of the South, a pedagogical organization consisting of sixteen Southern liberal arts colleges...
(founded at Jackson, Louisiana
Jackson, Louisiana
Jackson is a town in East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 4,130 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, in 1825; relocated to Shreveport in 1908) and Louisiana State University at Shreveport, which opened as a two-year institution in 1967. It became four-year in 1976. Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport is the academic center for medicine and medical research in North Louisiana. It is located in Shreveport and is part of the Louisiana State University System. The medical school opened in 1969. One of its founders was Dr. Joe E...
, the only medical school
Medical school
A medical school is a tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches medicine. Degree programs offered at medical schools often include Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, master's degree, or other post-secondary...
in northern Louisiana, opened in 1969. Shreveport also has one of the largest nursing schools in northern Louisiana, the Northwestern State University
Northwestern State University
Northwestern State University, known as NSU, is a four-year public university primarily situated in Natchitoches, Louisiana, with a nursing campus in Shreveport and general campuses in Leesville/Fort Polk and Alexandria. It is a part of the University of Louisiana System.NSU was founded in 1884 as...
College of Nursing.
Southern University
Southern University
Southern University and A&M College is a historically black college located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Baton Rouge campus is located on Scott’s Bluff overlooking the Mississippi River in the northern section...
, Shreveport (SUSLA), offers a two-year associate's degree
Associate's degree
An associate degree is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges, technical colleges, and bachelor's degree-granting colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study usually lasting two years...
program. (The four-year institution, which is historically black, is in Baton Rouge.)
Founded in 1973, Louisiana Baptist University
Louisiana Baptist University
Louisiana Baptist University is an accredited theologically conservative Christian university, founded in 1973, located at 6301 Westport Avenue in Shreveport, Louisiana....
and Theological Seminary is also located in Shreveport at 6301 Westport Avenue.
Ayers Career College is a Shreveport based college that offers career training in the medical and HVAC
HVAC
HVAC refers to technology of indoor or automotive environmental comfort. HVAC system design is a major subdiscipline of mechanical engineering, based on the principles of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer...
fields.
Since July 2007, Shreveport is home to a local Remington College
Remington College
Remington College is an affiliated group of privately owned non-profit post-secondary educational institutions. Remington Colleges, Inc. operates 20 campuses in several US states. Some of the affiliated institutions have been in operation since the 1940s. It is a for-profit college...
campus. This location offers both diploma and degree programs, and is active in the Shreveport Community.
Churches
Shreveport has churches of all denominations and sizes. At the head of Texas Street is the large First United Methodist Church, established at that site in 1884. The current sanctuary dates to 1913. The church is pastored by Pat Day. Among its former pastors were D.L. Dykes, Jr., and John E. Fellers. The fiberglass steeple of the church fell onto a passing car during a severe thunderstorm in 2009, and has yet to be replaced.A second Methodist congregation is named for J. S. Noel, Jr. The church was begun as a mission in 1906. Methodist layman James Noel and his wife, Fannie, provided financially for the church in its early years. The congregation decided to name the church for the Noel's late son. Like First United Methodist, it opened in the current sanctuary in 1913 and grew rapidly. A fire gutted the building in 1925, and only a portion of the loss was covered by insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
. The members expanded their ranks and rebuilt at the 500 Herndon location. The current Noel Memorial pastor is Flint Shea.
The large Holy Trinity
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
Church located downtown was founded in 1858. Five priests died of yellow fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
in 1873. The current sanctuary in Romanesque revival
Romanesque Revival architecture
Romanesque Revival is a style of building employed beginning in the mid 19th century inspired by the 11th and 12th century Romanesque architecture...
style architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
dates to 1896.
A large First Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Church was once pastored by Monroe E. Dodd
Monroe E. Dodd
Monroe Elmon Dodd, Sr. was an American Southern Baptist clergyman who was a pioneer radio preacher, the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Shreveport, Louisiana, the founder of the former Dodd College for Girls, and served as the Southern Baptist Convention President from 1934-1935...
, an early radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
minister and founder of the former Dodd College for Girls. Former Governor Jimmie Davis
Jimmie Davis
James Houston Davis , better known as Jimmie Davis, was a noted singer of both sacred and popular songs who served two nonconsecutive terms as the 47th Governor of Louisiana...
, a Shreveport city commissioner too, taught history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
for a year under Dodd's tutelage.
Other large Baptist congregations include Calvary Baptist, Broadmoor Baptist and Summer Grove Baptist. The latter was previously pastored by Wayne L. DuBose, now a Baptist denominational officer. Westview Christian Church is an independent Christian church that serves the area as well with members from diverse denominational backgrounds.
Shreveport is also home to Shreveport Community Church, a non-denominational church formerly belonging to the Assemblies of God doctrine. The congregation has experienced exponential growth from the 100 members in 1950 to more than 6,000 it claims now. It is pastored by Denny Duron, who succeeded his father, Rodney Duron after 45 years at the pulpit. The church also has an excellent education program in Evangel Christian Academy, a pre-K through 12th grade private school that has produced an average of 1 million dollars of scholastic scholarshps for its graduating seniors every year. The church has also produced a biblical musical, "Songs of the Season", during the Christmas holidays for the past 20 years at the Historic Strand Theater in downtown Shreveport.
Particularly striking in size and architecture is St. Mark's Cathedral, an Episcopal
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
congregation at 908 Rutherford Street in the Highland section of Shreveport. St. Mark's dates its establishment to the first religious service held in Shreveport in 1839.
The Jewish community dates to the organization of Congregation Har El in 1859, which later became B'nai Zion Temple, today the city's Reform
Reform
Reform means to put or change into an improved form or condition; to amend or improve by change of color or removal of faults or abuses, beneficial change, more specifically, reversion to a pure original state, to repair, restore or to correct....
congregation and largest synagogue. Agudath Achim, founded in 1905, as an Orthodox congregation is today a traditional Jewish synagogue. Rabbi Foster E. Kawaler is the current rabbi, is focused on rebuilding the congregation, which dwindled in size during the second half of the twentieth century. Shreveport, historically, has had a large and civic-minded Jewish community and has elected three Jewish mayors.
Sports
Shreveport and Bossier City shared an Arena Football League team named the Bossier-Shreveport Battle WingsBossier-Shreveport Battle Wings
The Bossier Shreveport Battle Wings were an Arena Football League team based in Bossier City, Louisiana. They played at the CenturyTel Center in Bossier City and represented both Bossier City and Shreveport...
and a Central Hockey League
Central Hockey League
The Central Hockey League is a mid-level professional hockey league, owned by Global Entertainment Corporation. Its current champions are the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, which defeated the Colorado Eagles four games to three in the 2011 playoffs....
team, the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
The Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs were a professional ice hockey team which played in the Bossier City-Shreveport metropolitan area of Louisiana. From 1997 to 2001 the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs were members of the Western Professional Hockey League, until the a 2001 merger between the WPHL with the...
, during the late 1990s and the 2000s. However, both teams shut down operations in 2010 and 2011.
Shreveport and Bossier City now share an all women's flat track roller derby team named the Twin City Knockers. The team is the newest competing sport in the area being founded in January 2010.
Baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
in Shreveport has an extensive past. The current team is a Minor League Baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
team known as the Shreveport-Bossier Captains. Baseball teams in Shreveport have gone through 8 different name changes and 7 different leagues all since 1895.
Shreveport's rugby
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team, the Shreveport Rugby Football Club
Shreveport Rugby Football Club
Shreveport Rugby Football Club-History:Founded in 1977, with a supporting crew of members including Paul Dinkins, Mike Pass, Steve Timmons, and Bill Gallien, The Shreveport Rugby Football Club was off the ground with a trail blazing 0–3 record....
, was founded in 1977, making it the oldest continuously competing sport team in Shreveport. It is a member of USA Rugby and participates in the Texas Rugby Football Union.
Shreveport is the home of the Shreveport Aftershock of the Independent Women's Football League
Independent Women's Football League
The Independent Women's Football League was founded in 2000, and began play in 2001.IWFL founders began with the goal to establish a quality women's football league that would be respected as the top level of women's tackle football in the world....
. The Aftershock play in the Midsouth Division of the Eastern Conference of the IWFL. The home field for the Aftershock is Independence Stadium.
Shreveport had an expansion team of the defunct World Football League
World Football League
The World Football League was a short-lived gridiron football league that played in 1974 and part of 1975. Although the league's proclaimed ambition was to bring American football onto a worldwide stage, the farthest the WFL reached was placing a team – the Hawaiians – in Honolulu, Hawaii. The...
, the Shreveport Steamer, in 1974. They played in State Fair Stadium (now known as Independence Stadium) from September 1974 until October 1975. The Steamer were originally from Houston Texans and moved to Shreveport in September 1974. In 1974 they had a record of 7-12-1 and in 1975 5-7. Shreveport also had a Canadian Football League football team in the mid-1990s known as the Shreveport Pirates
Shreveport Pirates
The Shreveport Pirates were a Canadian Football League team, playing at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana, USA, in 1994 and 1995....
. Bernard Glieberman
Bernard Glieberman
Bernard "Bernie" Glieberman is an American real estate mogul and the president of Crosswinds Communities. Despite having made his fortune in real estate, Glieberman was perhaps best known for, with his son Lonie, making several unsuccessful and controversial forays into sports team ownership and...
, a Detroit real estate developer, owned the Ottawa Rough Riders and in 1994, sold the team and then purchased the expansion franchise that ultimately wound up in Shreveport. He was allowed to take a handful of Ottawa players with him, including quarterback Terrence Jones. However, the Pirates were another American CFL team that ultimately became unsuccessful. Their first victory did not come until the 15th week of their initial season, and in 1995, all their victories were against Canadian teams. By 1996 the team had folded up.
Shreveport is the birthplace, home, or former home of several American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
stars and other noteworthy sports figures, among them:
- Ken AndersonKen Anderson (defensive lineman)Ken Anderson was a professional American football defensive tackle in the National Football League. He played with the Chicago Bears in 1999. He died of a heart attack on April 3, 2009 at age 33.-External links:**...
- (1975–2009), NFL player for Chicago BearsChicago BearsThe Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... - Evelyn AshfordEvelyn AshfordEvelyn Ashford is a retired American athlete, the 1984 Olympic champion in the 100 m. She has run under the 11 second barrier over 30 times and was the first to run under 11 seconds in an Olympic Games.As a 19-year-old, Ashford finished 5th in the 100 m event at the 1976 Summer Olympics...
- (born 1957), winner of sprint gold medals at the 1984, 1988 and 1992 Olympics. - Scott Baker - (born 1981), starting pitcher for the Minnesota TwinsMinnesota TwinsThe Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
- Miller BarberMiller BarberMiller Barber is an American professional golfer who enjoyed significant success on the PGA Tour in the 1960s and 1970s, and a greater degree of success on the Senior PGA Tour in the 1980s.-Career:...
- (born 1931), pro golfer. 3-time winner of the United States Senior OpenUnited States Senior OpenThe U.S. Senior Open is one of the major championships in men's senior golf. It was first played in 1980 and is administered by the United States Golf Association and is recognized as a major championship by both the Champions Tour and the European Seniors Tour... - Arnaz BattleArnaz BattleArnaz Jerome Battle is an American football wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
- (born 1980), NFL player for Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... - Alana BeardAlana Beard-External links:****...
- (2004–present) WNBA player for the Washington MysticsWashington MysticsThe Washington Mystics is a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1998 season. The team is owned by Monumental Sports & Entertainment , who also owns the Mystics'...
in Washington, DC. Duke University Alum - Albert BelleAlbert BelleAlbert Jojuan Belle is a former American Major League Baseball outfielder for the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, and Baltimore Orioles...
- (born 1966), LSU Baseball player and former MLB Baseball player - Josh BootyJosh BootyJoshua Gibson Booty is a National Football League quarterback and former Major League Baseball third baseman. He is currently a free agent after being waived by the Oakland Raiders...
- (born 1975), former NFL quarterback and MLB third baseman - Terry BradshawTerry BradshawTerry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday...
- (born 1948), NFL star, former Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
quarterback, and actor - James BrittJames Britt (American football)James Earl Britt is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round of the 1983 NFL Draft. He played college football at LSU....
- (born 1960), NFL player for Atlanta FalconsAtlanta FalconsThe Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... - Art CarmodyArt CarmodyArthur Carmody IV is an Arena football Kicker for the Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings of af2. He played college football at Louisville.-High school:...
- (born 1984), NCAA football all-time leading scorer for a placekicker with 433 points - Steve CoxSteve CoxCharles Steven Cox is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays....
- (born 1958), NFL player for Cleveland BrownsCleveland BrownsThe Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Washington RedskinsWashington RedskinsThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... - Joe DelaneyJoe DelaneyJoe Alton Delaney was an American football running back who played two seasons in the National Football League . In his two seasons with the Chiefs, Delaney set four franchise records that would stand for over 20 years....
- (1958–1983), NFL player for Kansas City ChiefsKansas City ChiefsThe Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a... - Kendrick FarrisKendrick FarrisKendrick Farris is an U.S. weightlifter. He competed for the United States in the 85 kg weight class at the 2008 Summer Olympics where he placed 8th. Farris is coached by Kyle Pierce....
- (Born 1986), United States Olympian in Weightlifting (2008). Placed Eighth. - Joe FergusonJoe FergusonJoseph Carlton Ferguson, Jr. is a former American football quarterback in the NFL. Ferguson played college football at the University of Arkansas, where he still holds the school's single game record for most completions and in that same season was named the Southwest Conference's Offensive...
- (born 1950), NFL player for Buffalo BillsBuffalo BillsThe Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Ryan Harrison (tennis) - (born 1992), professional tennis player
- Charlie HenniganCharlie HenniganCharles Taylor Hennigan, Sr., known as Charlie Hennigan , is a retired American football player with the former Houston Oilers who resides in Shreveport, Louisiana. Born in Bienville in Bienville Parish in north Louisiana, Hennigan grew up in nearby Minden, the seat of Webster Parish, located...
- (born 1935), NFL player for Houston Oilers - Jacob HesterJacob HesterJacob Troy Hester is a fullback for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chargers in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
- (born 1985), NFL player for San Diego ChargersSan Diego ChargersThe San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Stan HumphriesStan HumphriesWilliam Stanley "Stan" Humphries is a former professional American football quarterback. He played for the Washington Redskins and San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He played college football at Northeast Louisiana...
- (born 1965), former quarterback for the San Diego ChargersSan Diego ChargersThe San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Antawn JamisonAntawn JamisonAntawn Cortez Jamison is an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association . He currently plays power forward for the Cleveland Cavaliers and was a member of the USA National Team for the 2006 FIBA World Championships...
- (born 1976), American basketball player for the Cleveland CavaliersCleveland CavaliersThe Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team... - David Allen Lee - (born 1943), NFL player for the Baltimore ColtsIndianapolis ColtsThe Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
- Tommy MaddoxTommy MaddoxThomas "Tommy" Alfred Maddox is a former football quarterback in the National Football League, the XFL and the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 1992 NFL Draft. He played college football at UCLA.-Early years:At L. D...
- (born 1971), NFL player for Denver BroncosDenver BroncosThe Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... - Bob OliverBob OliverRobert Lee Oliver is a former first baseman and outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Kansas City Royals , California Angels , Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees...
- (born 1943), former Major League Baseball player - Robert ParishRobert ParishRobert Lee Parish is a retired American basketball center. He was known for his strong defense and jump shooting, and was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003...
- (born 1953), Basketball Hall of Fame, NBA, Centenary CollegeCentenary College of LouisianaCentenary College of Louisiana is a primarily undergraduate, liberal arts and sciences college in Shreveport, Louisiana. The college is one of the founding members of the Associated Colleges of the South, a pedagogical organization consisting of sixteen Southern liberal arts colleges... - B. J. Ryan - (born 1975), Major League baseball player
- Patrick ScottPatrick Scott (American football)Patrick Scott is a former wide receiver in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the eleventh round of the 1987 NFL Draft and played two seasons with the team.-References:...
- (born 1964), NFL player for Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... - Freddie SpencerFreddie SpencerFreddie Spencer , known by the nickname Fast Freddie, is an American former World Champion motorcycle racer. Spencer is regarded as one of the greatest motorcycle racers of the early 1980s.-Biography:...
- (born 1961), Grand PrixGrand Prix motorcycle racingRoad Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...
motorcycle champion, including winning both the 250cc and 500cc in the same year, 1985 - Scotty RobertsonScotty RobertsonRobert Scott Robertson, III, known as Scotty Robertson , was an American basketball coach of four NBA teams. He was the first coach for the New Orleans Jazz , and he later coached the Chicago Bulls and the Detroit Pistons...
- (1930-2011), basketball coach at Byrd High, School, Louisiana Tech University, and four NBA teams - Tommy SpinksTommy SpinksThomas Allen "Tommy" Spinks was an American football wide receiver for the Louisiana Tech University Bulldogs who played from 1966—1969. A native of Shreveport, Spinks and Larry C...
- (1948–2007), NFL player for Minnesota VikingsMinnesota VikingsThe Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960... - Hal SuttonHal SuttonHal Evan Sutton is an American professional golfer.Sutton was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. A promising golfer at the Centenary College of Louisiana, he was named Golf Magazines 1980 College Player of the Year...
- (born 1958), professional golfer - Stromile SwiftStromile SwiftStromile Swift is a former American professional basketball player. At 6'10" and 220 lbs, he played the power forward and center positions.- College and early NBA career :...
- (born 1979), NBA player - Pat TilleyPat TilleyPatrick Lee Tilley is a former NFL wide receiver who played for the St. Louis Cardinals . He was selected to the Pro Bowl after the 1980 season....
- (born 1953), NFL player for St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to... - David TomsDavid TomsDavid Wayne Toms is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He has won a total of thirteen events on the PGA Tour including the 2001 PGA Championship...
- (born 1967), professional golfer - Randy WalkerRandy Walker (American football)Randy Walker is a former punter in the National Football League. He was drafted in the twelfth round of the 1974 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers and played that season with the team.-References:...
- (born 1951), NFL player for the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... - Todd WalkerTodd WalkerTodd Arthur Walker is a former Major League Baseball infielder.-College:Walker attended LSU where he led the Tigers to the 1993 national championship. He also earned the 1993 College World Series Most Outstanding Player award. In 2006, Walker was elected to the LSU Hall of Fame...
- (born 1973), Major League baseball player - Vernon Wells - (born 1978), Major League baseball Player with the Toronto Blue Jays & Los Angeles Angels
- David WoodleyDavid WoodleyDavid Eugene Woodley was an American football player and quarterback for Louisiana State University , the National Football League's Miami Dolphins , and the Pittsburgh Steelers...
- (born 1958), NFL Quarterback for Miami DolphinsMiami DolphinsThe Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
During his career he was the youngest QB to start Super Bowl
Shreveport was mentioned as a potential city to house the NFL's New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
. It was passed over in favor of the much larger San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
and Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
in Baton Rouge, though the Saints ended up remaining in New Orleans. The Saints did play a game in Shreveport against the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
during the 2006 NFL preseason.
Shreveport's Independence Stadium has served as host of the Independence Bowl
Independence Bowl
The Independence Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I college football bowl game that is played annually at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana, so named because it was inaugurated in the United States bicentennial year, 1976....
since 1976. The stadium is also the home of the Port City Classic which started in 2010 when Louisiana Tech University defeated Grambling.Also Indpendece Stadium is the 3rd largest stadium in Louisiana with a seating capacity of 58,000 people only behind the Mercedes-Benz Superdome of 72,000 and Tiger Stadium of 96,000 in Baton Rouge
Visual and performing arts
Shreveport is home to several theatres, museums, and performing arts groups including the following:- Academy of Children's Theatre
- Artspace Shreveport
- Barnwell Memorial Garden and Art Center
- East Bank Theatre - Bossier City
- Hayride Diner/Soundstage 516
- Louisiana State Exhibit Museum
- Marjorie Lyons Playhouse on the Centenary College Campus
- Meadows Museum of Art - Centenary CollegeCentenary College of LouisianaCentenary College of Louisiana is a primarily undergraduate, liberal arts and sciences college in Shreveport, Louisiana. The college is one of the founding members of the Associated Colleges of the South, a pedagogical organization consisting of sixteen Southern liberal arts colleges...
- Multicultural Center of the SouthMulticultural Center of the SouthThe Multicultural Center of the South, located in downtown Shreveport, Louisiana, has a wide range of entertainment, educational family activities and programs, including lectures, symposia, live musical performances and cultural tour programs. The only institution of its kind in the state, it...
- "Once in a Millennium Moon" Mural by Meg Saligman
- Peter Pan Players
- Power and Grace School of Performing Arts
- R. W. Norton Art GalleryR. W. Norton Art GalleryThe R. W. Norton Art Gallery, in Shreveport, Louisiana, USA, houses collections of American and European paintings, sculptures and decorative arts spanning more than four centuries. Since its opening in 1966, the museum has become particularly well-known around the country for its impressive...
- River City Repertory Theatre, the professional theatre for Shreveport-Bossier
- RiverView Theatre
- Robinson Film Center
- Shreveport House Concerts at Fairfield Studios www.shreveporthouseconcerts.org
- Shreveport Little Theatre www.shreveportlittletheatre.com
- Shreveport Metropolitan BalletShreveport Metropolitan BalletThe Shreveport Metropolitan Ballet was founded in 1973 as the Ballet Lyrique in the Shreveport-Bossier City area. The Ballet has been operating continuously since then, making it one of the oldest arts organizations in Shreveport....
- Shreveport Municipal Auditorium
- Shreveport OperaShreveport Opera-External links:*...
- Shreveport Symphony OrchestraShreveport Symphony OrchestraShreveport Symphony Orchestra ' is based in Shreveport, the seat of Caddo Parish and the largest city in north Louisiana. Founded in 1948, the symphony remains the longest continually performing professional orchestra in Louisiana, despite a musicians' strike in October, 2008, which nearly...
- Southern University Museum of Art
- Spring Steet Museum
- The Strand TheatreStrand Theatre (Shreveport)The Strand Theatre in Shreveport, Louisiana, USA, opened in 1925 as a Vaudeville venue and was nicknamed "The greatest theatre of the South" and the "Million Dollar Theatre" by its builders, Julian and Abraham Saenger of Shreveport, owners of the Saenger Amusements Company, which operated theaters...
Events and tourism
- Cinco De Mayo fiesta Shreveport
- Highland Jazz & Blues FestivalHighland Jazz & Blues FestivalThe Highland Jazz & Blues Festival is an annual music and arts event that takes place in Shreveport, Louisiana, United States. It is held on the second Saturday of November at Columbia Park, a city park located in the historic Highland neighborhood. The festival was created by the Highland Area...
, held annually the second Saturday of November since 2003 - Holiday in Dixie, annual springtime festival, began 1949
- Independence BowlIndependence BowlThe Independence Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I college football bowl game that is played annually at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana, so named because it was inaugurated in the United States bicentennial year, 1976....
, held annually close to New Year's since 1976 - Louisiana Film Festival, independent film festival held annually each spring at Centenary CollegeCentenary College of LouisianaCentenary College of Louisiana is a primarily undergraduate, liberal arts and sciences college in Shreveport, Louisiana. The college is one of the founding members of the Associated Colleges of the South, a pedagogical organization consisting of sixteen Southern liberal arts colleges...
and Robinson Film Center - Mardi Gras ParadesMardi GrasThe terms "Mardi Gras" , "Mardi Gras season", and "Carnival season", in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday...
- Mudbug Madness, annual celebration of crawfishProcambarus clarkiiProcambarus clarkii is a freshwater crayfish species, native to the Southeastern United States, but found also on other continents, where it is often an invasive pest. It is known variously as the red swamp crawfish, red swamp crayfish, Louisiana crawfish, Louisiana crayfish or mudbug.-Range and...
, held each May since 1984 - Red River RevelRed River RevelThe Red River Revel is a festival of food, culture, art and music that takes place in Shreveport, Louisiana, United States, annually in the month of October. The Revel began in 1976 as a bicentennial celebration, sponsored by The Junior League of Shreveport...
, annual autumn arts festival which began in 1976, largest outdoor festival in northern Louisiana - The State Fair of Louisiana, held annually each autumn since 1906
- The Resort, a Resort hub including an indoor ski resort, three hotels, theme parks, and a casino opening spring 2011
Mardi Gras
Mardi GrasMardi Gras
The terms "Mardi Gras" , "Mardi Gras season", and "Carnival season", in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday...
celebrations in Shreveport date to the mid-nineteenth century when krewes and parades were organized along the lines of those of New Orleans. Mardi Gras in Shreveport did not survive the cancellations caused by World War I, however. Attempts to revive it in the 1920s were unsuccessful and the last Carnival celebrations in Shreveport for decades were held in 1927. Mardi Gras in Shreveport was revived beginning in 1984 with the organization of the Krewe of Apollo. The Krewes of Gemini, Centaur, Aesculepius, Highland, Sobek, Harambee, and others, followed during the next decade and a half. The first krewe to revive parading was Gemini in 1989. Today, Mardi Gras is again an important part of the cultural life of the Shreveport metropolitan area.
Recreation and attractions
- 8th Air Force Museum, Barksdale Air Force BaseBarksdale Air Force BaseBarksdale Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately east-southeast of Bossier City, Louisiana.The host unit at Barksdale is the 2d Bomb Wing , the oldest Bomb Wing in the Air Force. It is assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command's Eighth Air Force...
, Bossier City - Barnwell Garden & Art Center arboretum and gardens
- Chimp Haven, chimpanzee sanctuary, Keithville, LA (Shreveport suburb)
- Clyde Fant Park, along the Red River, named for Mayor Clyde Fant
- Cross LakeCross Lake (Shreveport, Louisiana)Cross Lake is an lake located near Shreveport, Louisiana. The waterway provides the water supply for the City of Shreveport. Moss covered cypress trees line the banks of this open lake popular for fishing and recreational boating. Supporting waterfowl, alligators and an abundance of wildlife...
- Ford ParkFord Park (Shreveport, Louisiana)Ford Park is a popular facility operated by the City of Shreveport, the seat of Caddo Parish in northwestern Louisiana. The park is located in north Shreveport at 5784 South Lakeshore Drive near the municipal pier and boat launch....
on Cross Lake - Gators and Friends, alligator and exotic animal park, Greenwood, LA (Shreveport suburb)
- The Gardens of the American Rose CenterThe Gardens of the American Rose CenterThe Gardens of the American Rose Center are botanical gardens located in Shreveport, Louisiana and dedicated to rose varieties. They have been the headquarters of the American Rose Society since 1974 when it moved to Louisiana from Columbus, Ohio....
- Hirsch Memorial ColiseumHirsch Memorial ColiseumThe Hirsch Memorial Coliseum is a 10,300-seat multi-purpose arena in Shreveport, Louisiana. It was built in 1954. It is located adjacent to the Independence Bowl stadium and across from Fair Park High School in Shreveport....
at Louisiana State Fairgrounds - J. Bennett Johnston, Jr. Waterway Regional Visitor Center - History of Red River
- Louisiana BoardwalkLouisiana BoardwalkThe Louisiana Boardwalk is a shopping center combining retail shopping, restaurants, and entertainment. It is located in Bossier City, Louisiana, across from two casinos....
- Bossier City, opposite the Shreveport Central Business District - Louisiana State Exhibit Museum, located in a landmark building at the State Fair Grounds
- Pioneer Heritage Center at Louisiana State University in Shreveport campus
- R. W. Norton Art GalleryR. W. Norton Art GalleryThe R. W. Norton Art Gallery, in Shreveport, Louisiana, USA, houses collections of American and European paintings, sculptures and decorative arts spanning more than four centuries. Since its opening in 1966, the museum has become particularly well-known around the country for its impressive...
and adjacent azalea park - Riverwalk Park
- Sci-Port Discovery Center and IMAX TheaterIMAXIMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
- Shreveport Municipal Auditorium and Louisiana HayrideLouisiana HayrideLouisiana Hayride was a radio and later television country music show broadcast from the Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium in Shreveport, Louisiana, that during its heyday from 1948 to 1960 helped to launch the careers of some of the greatest names in American music...
Museum - Spirit of the Red River, river cruise boat
- Spring Street Historical Museum
- Touchstone Wildlife & Art Museum, HaughtonHaughton, LouisianaHaughton is a town in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 2,792 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Shreveport–Bossier City Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Haughton is located at ....
in Bossier Parish - Yogie and Friends Exotic Cat Sanctuary, Frierson, LA (Shreveport suburb)
Media/press
Shreveport is served by a variety of print publications. The major daily newspaper serving the Shreveport-Bossier and Ark-La-Tex area is the Shreveport Times. Its headquarters are located in downtown Shreveport near Interstate 20Interstate 20
Interstate 20 is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States. I‑20 runs 1,535 miles from near Kent, Texas, at Interstate 10 to Florence, South Carolina, at Interstate 95...
. A second major paper, the afternoon Shreveport Journal, ceased publication in 1991.
Other smaller non-daily newspapers in the area include The Shreveport Sun, the Caddo Citizen. Bossier City is served by the daily Bossier Press-Tribune. The Barksdale Warrior is the weekly newspaper of record for the Barksdale Air Force Base
Barksdale Air Force Base
Barksdale Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately east-southeast of Bossier City, Louisiana.The host unit at Barksdale is the 2d Bomb Wing , the oldest Bomb Wing in the Air Force. It is assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command's Eighth Air Force...
. In addition alternative publications include, The Forum Newsweekly
The Forum Newsweekly
The Forum Newsweekly is a weekly newspaper published every Wednesday in downtown Shreveport, Louisiana. The news-magazine is also known as Forum, Forum Magazine and The Forum.- History :...
, City Lights, and SB Magazine.
Twice annually, North Louisiana History
North Louisiana History
North Louisiana History is an academic journal published twice annually in Shreveport, Louisiana by the North Louisiana Historical Association .-History:...
, the journal of the North Louisiana Historical Association, is published in Shreveport.
Shreveport and Bossier City are served by two major cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
systems: Shreveport is served by Comcast
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
and Bossier City is served by Suddenlink.
Shreveport is home to several radio stations, particularly KWKH
KWKH
KWKH is a classic country music radio station serving Shreveport, Louisiana. The 50-kilowatt station broadcasts at 1130 kHz. Formerly owned by Clear Channel Communications and Gap Central Broadcasting, it is now owned by Townsquare Media....
and KEEL
KEEL
KEEL is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Shreveport, Louisiana, USA, the station serves the Shreveport area. The station is currently owned by Townsquare Media and features programing from ABC Radio and airs Louisiana Tech games.From 9 to 11 a.m. weekdays,...
, having reputations beyond the city. The three commercial television outlets are KSLA-TV
KSLA-TV
KSLA, virtual channel 12, is the CBS-affiliated television station for Shreveport, Louisiana and the Ark-La-Tex region. Owned by Raycom Media, it broadcasts its digital signal on UHF channel 17. The sole transmitter is located in Mooringsport, Louisiana...
, CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, founded in 1954; KTBS-TV
KTBS-TV
KTBS-TV, virtual channel 3, is the ABC-affiliated television station in Shreveport, Louisiana. Its transmitter is located near Mooringsport. The station broadcasts its digital signal on UHF channel 28 and is owned locally by the Wray family as part of a duopoly with the CW affiliate KPXJ...
, ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
, founded in 1955, and KTAL-TV
KTAL-TV
KTAL-TV, virtual channel 6, is the NBC television affiliate serving the Shreveport, Louisiana/Texarkana, Arkansas-Texas market. It is licensed to the Texas side of Texarkana and is the only station in its market licensed outside of Louisiana. Its main studio is located in Shreveport with a...
, arrived in Shreveport in September 1961 as the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
station. KTBS was an NBC station, with occasional ABC programs, from 1955–1961, when it switched affiliation to ABC. KTAL, formerly known as KCMC of Texarkana
Texarkana, Texas
Texarkana is a city in Bowie County, Texas, United States. It effectively functions as one half of a city which crosses a state line — the other half, the city of Texarkana, Arkansas, lies on the other side of State Line Avenue...
, was a CBS outlet prior to conversion to NBC, when it began to cover Shreveport as well as Texarkana. Don Owen (born 1930), a member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission
Louisiana Public Service Commission
Louisiana Public Service Commission is an independent regulatory agency which manages public utilities and motor carriers in Louisiana. The commission has five elected members chosen in single-member districts for staggered six-year terms...
from 1984–2002, is also a former news anchorman on KSLA.
Military installations
Barksdale Air Force BaseBarksdale Air Force Base
Barksdale Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately east-southeast of Bossier City, Louisiana.The host unit at Barksdale is the 2d Bomb Wing , the oldest Bomb Wing in the Air Force. It is assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command's Eighth Air Force...
is located in Bossier Parish across the river from Shreveport, which donated the land for its construction in the 1920s. Named for pioneer army aviator Lt. Eugene Hoy Barksdale and originally called Barksdale Army Air Field, it opened in 1933 and became Barksdale Air Force Base in 1947. Headquartered here are the Air Force Global Strike Command 8th Air Force, 2d Bomb Wing, and 917th Wing. The primary plane housed here is the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
B-52 Stratofortress
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, who have continued to provide maintainence and upgrades to the aircraft in service...
. In earlier years, the base was the home to other famous planes, including the B-47 Stratojet
B-47 Stratojet
The Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered medium bomber built to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes. It was primarily designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union...
.
Shreveport is home to the 2-108th Cavalry
108th Cavalry Regiment (United States)
The 108th Cavalry Regiment is a Regiment of the Georgia Army National Guard and the Louisiana Army National Guard respectively-Lineage:The 108th Cavalry was constituted June 1, 1921, assigned to the 23rd Cavalry Division, allotted to the National Guard of the States of Georgia and Louisiana, and...
Squadron, the reconnaissances element of the 256th Infantry Brigade. Three of the squadron's four cavalry troops are located at 400 East Stoner Avenue in a historic armory known as "Fort Humbug". This was named due to the Confederate Army burning logs to look like cannons and placing them along the Red River. This caused Union ironclad ships sailing north on the Red River to be tricked into turning back south.
General Motors
Shreveport is home to Shreveport OperationsShreveport Operations
Shreveport Operations is a General Motors automobile factory in Shreveport, Louisiana. The factory opened in 1981 and currently produces the company's compact pickup trucks.-Products:* 1983–2004 Chevrolet S-10* 1983–2004 GMC Sonoma* 1991 GMC Syclone...
, a General Motors plant that is slated to close before or during the year 2012. The plant currently produces the Chevrolet Colorado
Chevrolet Colorado
The Chevrolet Colorado and its counterpart, the GMC Canyon, are mid-size pickup trucks by American carmaker General Motors. It was introduced in 2004 to replace the Chevrolet S-10 and GMC Sonoma compact pickups.-First generation :...
, GMC Canyon, and the Isuzu i-Series
Isuzu i-Series
The Isuzu i-Series mid-size pickup truck line was launched at the 2005 New York International Auto Show. The i-Series replaces the Isuzu Hombre, which has been out of production since 2000....
.
Highways and roads
Shreveport's past reflects the need for mass transit and public roads. As far back as the 1870s, residents used muleMule
A mule is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. Horses and donkeys are different species, with different numbers of chromosomes. Of the two F1 hybrids between these two species, a mule is easier to obtain than a hinny...
-drawn street cars
Horsecar
A horsecar or horse-drawn tram is an animal-powered streetcar or tram.These early forms of public transport developed out of industrial haulage routes that had long been in existence, and from the omnibus routes that first ran on public streets in the 1820s, using the newly improved iron or steel...
that were converted to electric-motorized cars by 1890. Commuter rail systems in Shreveport flourished for many decades, and rail car lines extended out to rural areas. In 1930, trolleys and rail cars began to be replaced by buses, although motor buses did not finally replace all trolley service until the 1960s. In the 1960s, the Interstate Highway System
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...
came to the area with the construction of Interstate 20
Interstate 20
Interstate 20 is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States. I‑20 runs 1,535 miles from near Kent, Texas, at Interstate 10 to Florence, South Carolina, at Interstate 95...
.
The local public transportation provider, SporTran, provides moderately extensive bus service throughout Shreveport and Bossier City. Sportran operates seven days a week on seventeen bus routes (five night routes) from 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m., with no night service on Sunday.
The highway system has a cross-hair and loop freeway structure similar to that of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
cities like Houston and Dallas. The loop consists of The Outer Loop Freeway Interstate 220
Interstate 220 (Louisiana)
Interstate 220 in Louisiana is an east–west bypass route around Shreveport, Louisiana in the northwestern corner of the state.-Route description:...
on the north and The Inner Loop Freeway, Louisiana Highway 3132
Louisiana Highway 3132
Louisiana Highway 3132 is a state highway in Shreveport, Louisiana, more commonly known as the Inner Loop Expressway. It spans approximately and acts as a bypass to the south and west of downtown Shreveport...
on the south, forming approximately an 8 miles (12.9 km) diameter semi-loop around downtown. Another loop is formed by the Bert Kouns Industrial Loop, (Louisiana Highway 526) and circles further south bisecting Interstate 49
Interstate 49
Interstate 49 is currently an intrastate Interstate Highway located entirely within the state of Louisiana in the southern United States. Its southern terminus is in Lafayette, Louisiana, at Interstate 10 while its northern terminus is in Shreveport, Louisiana, at Interstate 20.-Route...
.Interstate 49 is currently underconstuction to extend to highway 549 in Arkansas,in which the interstate will go into another state besides Louisiana
Shreveport lies along the route of the proposed Interstate 69
Interstate 69
Interstate 69 is an Interstate Highway in the United States. It exists in two parts: a completed highway from Indianapolis, Indiana, northeast to the Canadian border in Port Huron, Michigan, and a mostly proposed extension southwest to the Mexican border in Texas...
North American Free Trade Agreement
North American Free Trade Agreement
The North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA is an agreement signed by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994. It superseded the Canada – United States Free Trade Agreement...
(NAFTA) superhighway that will link Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the U.S. industrial Midwest, Texas, and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
Airports
Shreveport is served by two airports. The largest is Shreveport Regional AirportShreveport Regional Airport
Shreveport Regional Airport is a public use airport in Shreveport, Louisiana, United States. It is owned by the City of Shreveport and located four nautical miles southwest of its central business district....
(SHV), established in 1952, and is served by Allegiant Air
Allegiant Air
Allegiant Air is an American low-cost airline owned by Allegiant Travel Co. that operates scheduled and charter flights. Allegiant Travel Company is a publicly traded company with 1,300 employees and one billion USD market capitalization...
(to Las Vegas
McCarran International Airport
McCarran International Airport is the principal commercial airport serving Las Vegas and Clark County, Nevada, United States. The airport is located five miles south of the central business district of Las Vegas, in the unincorporated area of Paradise in Clark County. It covers an area of and...
), American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
(to Dallas/Ft. Worth), Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
(to Houston
George Bush Intercontinental Airport
George Bush Intercontinental Airport, is a Class B international airport in Houston, Texas, serving the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Located north of Downtown Houston between Interstate 45 and U.S. Highway 59...
) and Delta (to Atlanta and Memphis
Memphis International Airport
Memphis International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located three miles south of the central business district of Memphis, a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States....
). The smaller airport, Shreveport Downtown Airport
Shreveport Downtown Airport
Shreveport Downtown Airport is a public use airport located three nautical miles north of the central business district of Shreveport, a city in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is owned by the Shreveport Airport Authority....
(DTN), was built in 1931 and is located north of the Downtown Business District along the Red River. It is currently a general aviation/reliever airport, but was originally Shreveport's commercial airport.
Notable residents
For Shreveport's many notable sports figures, see separate list in "Sports," above.- Dave AlexanderDave Alexander (blues musician)Dave Alexander aka Omar Sharriff, Omar Hakim Khayam is an American Texas blues singer, and pianist.-Biography:...
a.k.a. "Omar Sharif" - (born 1938), blues musician - Kevyn AucoinKevyn AucoinKevyn Aucoin was an American make-up artist and photographer.-Early life:Aucoin was born in Shreveport, Louisiana and grew up in Lafayette, Louisiana, to parents Isidore Adrian Aucoin and Thelma Suzanne Melancon, who adopted him as an infant through Catholic Charities of Alexandria, Louisiana He...
- (1962–2002) make-up artist and photographer - John N. BahcallJohn N. BahcallJohn Norris Bahcall was an American astrophysicist, best known for his contributions to the solar neutrino problem, the development of the Hubble Space Telescope and for his leadership and development of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton.-Early and family life:Bahcall was born in...
- (1934–2005) American astrophysicist, best known for contributions to the solar neutrino problem. - Reuben BellReuben BellReuben Bell was an African American soul singer who recorded from the late 1960s to the early 1980s, and is best known for his emotional tenor vocals on the songs "It's Not That Easy" and "I Hear You Knocking "....
- (1945–2004), African American soul singer and song writer for blues artist, Bobby "Blue" Bland - Brian BladeBrian BladeBrian Blade in Shreveport, Louisiana is an American jazz drummer, composer, session musician, and singer-songwriter.-Early years:...
- (born 1970), award winning jazz drummer for Brian Blade and the Fellowship, EmmyLou Harris, Daniel Lanois, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Seal - Billy Bretherton (born 1968), Star of A&E's Billy the Exterminator
- Kix BrooksKix BrooksLeon Eric "Kix" Brooks III , is an American country music artist, best known for being one half of the duo Brooks & Dunn.-Early life:...
, a.k.a. Leon Eric Brooks, III - (born 1955), Country musician, half of duo Brooks & DunnBrooks & DunnBrooks & Dunn was an American country music duo consisting of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, who were both vocalists and songwriters. They were paired by record producer Tim DuBois in 1990. Before the duo's foundation, both members of the duo were solo recording artists... - James BurtonJames BurtonJames Burton is an American guitarist. A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 2001 , Burton has also been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame...
- (born 1939), guitarist; former backup guitarist for Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King".... - Sam CaldwellSam CaldwellSamuel Shepherd Caldwell, known as Sam Caldwell , was an oilman who served as the Democratic mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana, from 1934-1946....
(1892–1953), mayor of Shreveport, 1934–1946 - Thomas G. CarmodyThomas G. CarmodyThomas Gaughan Carmody, Jr. , is a real estate broker from Shreveport, Louisiana, who since 2008 has been a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 6 in Caddo and Bossier parishes.-Background:...
(born 1961), state representativeLouisiana State LegislatureThe Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
and former member of the Shreveport City Council - Pat CarrollPat Carroll (actress)Patricia Ann “Pat” Carroll is an American actress. She performed in numerous stage productions, and portrayed the roles of "Bunny Halper" on CBS's The Danny Thomas Show, Shirley Feeney's mother on ABC's Laverne and Shirley, and is the voice of the villainous Ursula in The Little Mermaid film...
- (born 1927), Emmy Award winning actress and comedian - Sherri Smith CheekSherri Smith CheekSherri Smith Cheek is a businesswoman from Shreveport, Louisiana, who is a second-term Republican member of the Louisiana State Senate from District 38...
(born 1966) - Louisiana state senator from south Caddo and De Soto parishes - Ken ChoyKen ChoyKen Choy is an American writer of Chinese-Hawaiian descent. He also is a performance artist and actor and owns and operates a shopping business in Southern California.Choy received a Jerome Fellowship from the Playwright's Center in Minnesota in 1992...
- (born 1963), Noted Scientist turned Venture Capitalist and Entrepreneur in Silicon Valley. The father of JAVA coding language. - Van CliburnVan CliburnHarvey Lavan "Van" Cliburn Jr. is an American pianist who achieved worldwide recognition in 1958 at age 23, when he won the first quadrennial International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow, at the height of the Cold War....
- (born 1934), American pianist. - Johnnie L. Cochran - (1937–2005), criminal defense attorney
- Charlie CookCharlie CookCharlie Cook , originally from Shreveport, Louisiana, is an American political analyst who specializes in election forecasts and political trends. He attended Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. He delivers election forecasts and rankings in his own publication, The Cook Political Report,...
- (born 1953), author of The Cook Political Report - John William CorringtonJohn William CorringtonJohn William Corrington was an American movie and television writer, novelist, poet and lawyer. He received a B.A. degree from Centenary College, in 1956 and his M.A. from Rice University in 1960, the year he took on his first teaching position in the English Department at Louisiana State University...
- (1932–1988), novelist, screenwriter, poet, and dramatist - Jack CrichtonJack Crichton (Texas businessman)John Alston Crichton, known as Jack Crichton , was an oil and natural gas industrialist from Dallas, Texas, who was among the first of his ranks to recognize the importance of petroleum reserves in the Middle East. In 1964, he carried the Republican banner in a fruitless campaign against the...
- (1916–2007), Texas oil and gas industrialist and 1964 Republican gubernatorial nominee in Texas, reared in Shreveport - Monroe E. DoddMonroe E. DoddMonroe Elmon Dodd, Sr. was an American Southern Baptist clergyman who was a pioneer radio preacher, the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Shreveport, Louisiana, the founder of the former Dodd College for Girls, and served as the Southern Baptist Convention President from 1934-1935...
- (1878–1952), pioneer radio evangelist, pastor of First Baptist Church of Shreveport, 1912–1950, founder of Dodd College for Girls - John H. EastmanJohn H. EastmanJohn H. Eastman was a businessman who served from 1910-1914 as the mayor of Shreveport, the third largest city in Louisiana and the largest in the northwestern section of the state....
- (1861-1938), mayor of Shreveport from 1910 to 1914 - William EdenbornWilliam EdenbornWilliam Edenborn was a businessman, inventor and philanthropist, born in Altena in the Westphalia region of the Ruhr River Valley of the former Prussia, since Germany...
- (1848–1926), industrialist and inventor from Winn ParishWinn Parish, LouisianaWinn Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Its seat is Winnfield. In 2000, its population was 16,894.The parish has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
, died in Shreveport and is interred at Forest Park Cemetery - William C. FeazelWilliam C. FeazelWilliam Crosson Feazel was a short-term United States Senator from Louisiana. Born near Farmerville, the seat of Union Parish, he attended the public schools and engaged as an independent oil and natural gas producer....
- (1895–1965), influential oilman and politician, U.S. Senator (1948) - J. Howell FlournoyJ. Howell FlournoyJoseph Howell Flournoy was the sheriff of Caddo Parish based in Shreveport, Louisiana, from 1940 until his death in office...
- (1891–1966), sheriff of Caddo Parish from 1940 until his death - Hunter GreeneHunter GreeneHunter Vann Greene is an attorney in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who is a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 66 in East Baton Rouge Parish....
- (born 1966), Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from East Baton Rouge Parish, born in Shreveport - Augustus F. HawkinsAugustus F. HawkinsAugustus Freeman "Gus" Hawkins was a prominent African American Democratic Party politician and a figure in the history of Civil Rights and organized labor. He served as the first African American from California in the United States Congress, where he sponsored the Humphrey-Hawkins Full...
- (1907-2007), Congressman (1963-1991) - George E. HearnGeorge E. HearnGeorge Earl Hearn was from 1965-2000 a professor of psychology at Baptist-affiliated Louisiana College in Pineville, Louisiana, and a former two-term member of the Pineville City Council under then Mayor Fred H. Baden.-Background:Hearn was born to Thomas Watson Hearn, Sr...
- (1926–2010), psychologist at Louisiana CollegeLouisiana CollegeLouisiana College is a private institution of higher education located in Pineville, Louisiana, affiliated with the Louisiana Baptist Convention, serving a student body of approximately 1,300 students. The college operates on a semester system, with two shorter summer terms...
, reared in Shreveport - William Kennon Henderson, Jr.W. K. HendersonWilliam Kennon Henderson, Jr., usually known as W.K. Henderson , was a pioneer in the radio industry who in 1922 acquired WGAQ in Shreveport, Louisiana, expanded it, and renamed the call letters after himself as KWKH....
- (1880–1945), founder of radioRadioRadio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
station KWKHKWKHKWKH is a classic country music radio station serving Shreveport, Louisiana. The 50-kilowatt station broadcasts at 1130 kHz. Formerly owned by Clear Channel Communications and Gap Central Broadcasting, it is now owned by Townsquare Media.... - Hubert D. HumphreysHubert D. HumphreysHubert Davis Humphreys was an historian formerly affiliated with Louisiana State University in Shreveport who specialized in archives, oral history, and studies of his native North Louisiana....
- (1923–2009), Louisiana historian and author - Edgar HullEdgar HullEdgar Hull, Jr. , was a physician from Louisiana and in 1931 a founding faculty member of the Louisiana State University Medical Center in New Orleans. In 1966, he became the first Dean of the Louisiana State University School of Medicine at Shreveport...
- (1904-1984), co-founder of Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport; resided in Shreveport in 1928 and from 1966-1973. - Tom JarrielTom JarrielThomas Edwin "Tom" Jarriel is an American television news reporter who has worked for the ABC network since the 1960s.Jarriel's parents were the late William Lester Jarriel, Sr., and Ella Ruth Jarriel . The Jarriels were living in LaGrange in Troup County in far western Georgia, where on May 17,...
- (born 1934), Television reporter and investigative correspondent, winner of multiple Emmy Awards - William Joyce (writer)William Joyce (writer)William Joyce is an American author, illustrator, and filmmaker. Newsweek has called him one of the top 100 people to watch in the new millennium. His illustrations have appeared on numerous New Yorker covers and his paintings are displayed at national museums and art galleries. He lives with his...
- (born 1957), author and illustrator of children's books and screenwriter - Harold R. "Hal" KingHarold King (author)Harold Raymond King, Jr., also known as Hal King , was an American author and journalist known for his 1975 novel Paradigm Red, which became the 1977 NBC television movie Red Alert....
- (1945–2010), suspense novelist - Huddie Ledbetter a.k.a. LeadbellyLeadbellyHuddie William Ledbetter was an iconic American folk and blues musician, notable for his strong vocals, his virtuosity on the twelve-string guitar, and the songbook of folk standards he introduced....
- (1885–1949), blues guitarist/singer - Jared LetoJared LetoJared Joseph Leto is an American actor, director, producer, occasional model and musician. Leto has appeared in both big budget Hollywood films and smaller projects from independent producers and art houses. He rose to prominence for playing Jordan Catalano in the teenage drama My So-Called Life...
- (born 1971), actor, Lead Singer/Rhythm Guitarist of 30 Seconds to Mars30 Seconds to Mars30 Seconds to Mars is an American rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 1998. Since 2007, the band has consisted of actor Jared Leto , Shannon Leto and Tomo Miličević...
. - Joshua LoganJoshua LoganJoshua Lockwood Logan III was an American stage and film director and writer.-Early years:Logan was born in Texarkana, Texas, the son of Susan and Joshua Lockwood Logan. When he was three years old his father committed suicide...
- (1908–1988), Broadway director of South PacificSouth Pacific (musical)South Pacific is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and book by Hammerstein and Joshua Logan. The story draws from James A. Michener's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1947 book Tales of the South Pacific, weaving together characters and elements from several of its...
and Mister RobertsMister Roberts (play)Mister Roberts is a 1948 play based on the 1946 Thomas Heggen novel of the same name.The novel began as a collection of short stories about Heggen's experiences aboard the USS Virgo in the South Pacific during World War II...
, reared in Shreveport. - Walter M. LowreyWalter M. LowreyWalter M. Lowrey was an historian affiliated with Centenary College, a Methodist-institution in Shreveport, Louisiana, who was also a founding member of the Louisiana Historical Association....
- (1921-1980), historian - Charlton LyonsCharlton LyonsCharlton Havard Lyons, Sr., also known as Big Papa Lyons , was a Shreveport oilman who in 1964 waged the first determined Republican bid for the Louisiana governorship since Reconstruction. Lyons also made a strong but losing bid for the United States House of Representatives in a special election...
- (1894–1973), politician - Susybelle LyonsSusybelle LyonsSusybelle Wilkinson Lyons was a socialite and philanthropist in Shreveport, Louisiana, who was particularly active in the Young Women's Christian Association Family Violence Program. "When she saw films of what those women had to endure, it was very moving. She didn't cry easily...
- (1923–2007), socialiste - Judi Ann MasonJudi Ann MasonJudi Ann Mason was an American television writer, producer and playwright.-Background:Mason was born in Bossier City, Louisiana on February 2, 1955. She excelled in English and became interested in playwrighting while in high school...
- (1955—2009), American television writer, producer and playwright - Mary Miles MinterMary Miles MinterMary Miles Minter was an American film actress of the silent film era.-Early life and rise to stardom:Born Juliet Reilly in Shreveport, Louisiana, Minter was the daughter of Broadway actress Charlotte Shelby...
- (1902–1984), silent film star and a central figure in the scandal surrounding the 1922 murder of pioneer movie star William Desmond Taylor - OliverOliverThe surname Oliver is of several different origins.-Etymology:The surname Oliver is derived from the Old French personal name Olivier. The Oliver surname seems to be French Norman in origin. The Olivers were probably part of William the Conqueror's Norman Invasion of Britain in 1066...
, a.k.a. William Oliver Swofford - (1945–2000), singer, songwriter, and musician - W. Darrell OverdykeW. Darrell OverdykeWilliam Darrell Overdyke was an American historian known particularly for his work on 18th- and 19th-century plantation homes in his adopted state of Louisiana as well as the anti-immigration Know Nothing political party in the American South.-Background:Overdyke was born in Cherokee near...
- (1907-1973), historian at Centenary College - Mitchell ParishMitchell ParishMitchell Parish was an American lyricist.-Early life:Parish was born Michael Hyman Pashelinsky to a Jewish family in Lithuania. His family emigrated to the United States, arriving on February 3, 1901 on the SS Dresden when he was less than a year old...
- (1900–1993), lyricist for "Stardust", "Sleigh Ride" and "Stars Fell on Alabama" - Andrew QuerbesAndrew QuerbesAndrew C. Querbes, Sr. , was a banker, planter, and civic figure who served as the mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana, from 1902 to 1906.-Biography:...
- (1864-1939), mayor of Shreveport from 1902 to 1906; banker and police juror - Tommy SandsTommy SandsTommy Adrian Sands is an American pop music singer and actor.-Early life:Born into a musical family in Chicago, Illinois, Sands' father was a pianist and his mother a big-band singer. While still young, he moved with his family to Shreveport, Louisiana...
- (born 1937), American singer born in Chicago, resided in Shreveport during his childhood - John Thomas Scopes - (1900–1970), defendant in the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial
- Alan SeabaughAlan SeabaughAlan Thomas Seabaugh is an attorney from Shreveport, Louisiana, who is a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 5 in Caddo Parish...
- (born ca. 1967), attorney and state representative - Kenny Wayne ShepherdKenny Wayne ShepherdKenny Wayne Shepherd is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He has released several studio albums and experienced a rare level of commercial success both as a blues artist and a young musician.-Biography:Shepherd graduated Caddo Magnet High School in Shreveport, Louisiana...
- (born 1977), blues guitarist - Jimmy G. ShoalmireJimmy G. ShoalmireJimmy Gayle Shoalmire was an historian of the American South originally from Shreveport, Louisiana, who specialized in Reconstruction and agricultural studies.-Early years and education:...
- (1940–1982), historian - Andy SidarisAndy SidarisAndrew W. "Andy" Sidaris was an American television and film director, film producer, actor, and screenwriter.-Early life:...
- (1931–2007), Hollywood film producer, director, actor, and screenwriter - C. O. SimpkinsC. O. SimpkinsCuthbert Ormond Simpkins is a physician, biographer and scientist, best known for his work on shock and violence prevention and for his 1975 biography of jazz musician John Coltrane.- Early years :...
, Jr. - (born 1947), music historian, biographer, and notable physician - Jesse N. StoneJesse N. StoneJesse Nealand Stone, Jr. , was an African American attorney and educator from Shreveport, Louisiana, who broke past color barriers in state government....
- (1924–2001), president of Southern University SystemSouthern University SystemThe Southern University System is a system of universities in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Its headquarters are at the Joseph Samuel Clark Administration Building on the property of the Southern University campus in Baton Rouge...
, 1974–1985; civil rightsCivil rightsCivil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
activist - Lee Emmett ThomasLee Emmett ThomasLee Emmett Thomas was an attorney and banker who served as the mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana, from 1922–1930. He was also from 1912–1916 the Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives.-Background:...
- (1866–1935), mayor of Shreveport from 1922–1930; Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1912–1916 - Jesse Thomas - (1911–1995), blues guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist
- Stanley R. TinerStanley R. TinerStanley Ray Tiner has since May 2000 been the executive editor and vice president of The Sun Herald newspaper in Biloxi-Gulfport, Mississippi. He previously served briefly as the executive editor of The Daily Oklahoman in Oklahoma City and as editor of the Press-Register in Mobile, Alabama...
- (born 1942), Pulitzer Prize winning journalist - W. Scott WilkinsonW. Scott WilkinsonWilliam Scott Wilkinson was an attorney from Shreveport, Louisiana, who served a single term as a Democrat from Caddo Parish in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1920–1924....
- (1895–1985), attorney and former state representative - Hank Williams, Jr.Hank Williams, Jr.Randall Hank Williams , better known as Hank Williams, Jr. and Bocephus, is an American country singer-songwriter and musician. His musical style is often considered a blend of Southern rock, blues, and traditional country...
- (born 1949), Country music singer - Jesse WinchesterJesse WinchesterJesse Winchester is a musician and songwriter who was born and raised in the southern United States. To avoid the Vietnam War draft he moved to Canada in 1967, which is where and when he began his career as a solo artist. His highest charting recordings were of his own tunes, "Yankee Lady" in 1970...
- (born 1944), musician, song writer - Mississippi WinnMississippi WinnMississippi Winn was an American supercentenarian. At the age of , she was the 7th oldest person in the world at the time of her death. She became the oldest resident in Louisiana upon the death of Maggie Renfro on January 22, 2010. After Daisey Bailey's death on March 7, 2010, Winn became the...
- (1897-2011) a supercentenarianSupercentenarianA supercentenarian is someone who has reached the age of 110 years. This age is achieved by about one in a thousand centenarians....
, and was the last living child of slaves. - Wayne WinterrowdWayne WinterrowdWayne Rudolf Winterrowd was an American gardening expert and designer who wrote extensively on the subject...
- (1941–2010), horticulturist and author known for his lush gardens in southern VermontVermontVermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. - Faron YoungFaron YoungFaron Young was an American country music singer and songwriter from the early 1950s into the mid-1980s and one of its most successful and colorful stars...
- (1932–1996), country musician and songwriter - Peter YoureePeter YoureePeter Youree was an American businessman and banker from Shreveport, Louisiana, who in 1910 built his city's first skyscraper, the ten-story Commercial National Bank Building. He also financed the construction of his massive Youree Hotel — later called the Washington Youree Hotel — in downtown...
- (1843-1914), Shreveport businessman; built city's first skyscraperSkyscraperA skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper... - Mark ZeltserMark ZeltserMark Zeltser is a Soviet-born American pianist.-Biography:Zeltser was born in Kishinev in 1947. His mother Bertha was a concert pianist and teacher. Her grandfather, Mark Pester, was a well-known Bessarabian violinist and conductor...
- (born 1947), Award winning pianist
In the late '80s/early '90s, John Carmack, John Romero
John Romero
Alfonso John Romero is a game designer, programmer, and developer in the video game industry. He is best known as a co-founder of id Software and was a designer for many of their games, including Wolfenstein 3D, Dangerous Dave, Doom and Quake...
, Adrian Carmack
Adrian Carmack
Adrian Carmack is one of the four founders of id Software, along with Tom Hall, John Romero, and John D. Carmack . He had worked there as an artist. He was a major stock owner of id Software until he left the company....
, and Tom Hall
Tom Hall
Tom A. Hall is a game designer born in Wisconsin. He attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he received a B.S. in Computer Science. In 1987, he worked at Softdisk Inc., where he was both a programmer and the editor of Softdisk, a software bundle delivered monthly...
worked together at Softdisk
Softdisk
Softdisk is a software and Internet company based in Shreveport, Louisiana. Founded in 1981, its original products were disk magazines...
, a computer company located in Shreveport. While working at Softdisk, these programmers developed technology which eventually led to the creation of Wolfenstein 3D
Wolfenstein 3D
Wolfenstein 3D is a video game that is generally regarded by critics and gaming journalists as having both popularized the first-person shooter genre on the PC and created the basic archetype upon which all subsequent games of the same genre would be built. It was created by id Software and...
and Doom. They later left Softdisk to form id Software
Id Software
Id Software is an American video game development company with its headquarters in Richardson, Texas. The company was founded in 1991 by four members of the computer company Softdisk: programmers John Carmack and John Romero, game designer Tom Hall, and artist Adrian Carmack...
in order to produce these games.
See also
- Houston E. & W. T. Ry. Co. v. United States, landmark U.S. Supreme Court interstate commerce ruling commonly known as "The Shreveport Rate Cases"
- List of people from Shreveport