Genealogy, Family History & Research Reveal Forgotten Pieces of Louisiana’s Past

On March 18, 2024, Michelle Freret Prather presented to the Genealogical Research Society of New Orleans on her book, "My Family: A Window into the Secrets, Successes, and Sins of Early New Orleans and Beyond." It is a collection of complex life stories that interweave and meander through the ever-changing world of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Louisiana. Meet free men and women of color, war heroes, a world-renowned scientist and Egyptologist, an internationally famous artist, a universal suffrage activist, an explorer turned spy, philanthropists, entrepreneurs, sugar barons, cotton factors, and slave traders. The stories of the Rillieux, Cantrelle, Verret, Jones, Bringier, and Freret families expose a past infused with honor and regret.

Michelle was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and now lives in Covington, just across Lake Pontchartrain from the city of her birth. She taught English and American History for 25 years and has a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction. Michelle, a member of GRSNO, is passionate about the stories of people’s lives and how time, place, and circumstance come together to affect our choices. In an interview with her publisher, Legacy Book Press, Michelle says, "Uncovering the stories of my family gave me a framework to better understand how my own life and choices are shaped by those same factors. Our human story is not singular and finite but rather an intricate, expanding mosaic. My hope is that others will explore their rich family histories and realize that the story of each life gives us a new perspective on the past as well as on our own time."