Lolis Eric Elie | |
---|---|
Born | New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. | April 10, 1963
Education | Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (B.S., Finance and Economics, 1985), Columbia University School of Journalism (M.S, 1986), University of Virginia (MFA, Creative Writing, 1991) |
Occupation(s) | Writer, filmmaker |
Notable work | Faubourg Treme: The Untold Story of Black New Orleans , Treme (TV Series) , Hell on Wheels |
Lolis Eric Elie (born April 10, 1963) is an American writer, journalist, documentary filmmaker, and food historian best known for his work as story editor of the HBO drama Treme and story editor of AMC's Hell on Wheels .
Elie was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is the son of Lolis Edward Elie, a civil rights attorney [1] [2] and Dr. Gerri Elie, a school principal and university professor. He has an older sister, Migel Elizabeth Elie. [3]
Elie is an alumnus of the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA) and a 1981 graduate of Benjamin Franklin High School. [4] He went on to attend the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where he graduated in 1985 with a B.S. in Finance and Economics. In 1986 he received his M.S. from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, later becoming Alumnus of the Year in 2012. [5] After graduating from Columbia University, Elie went on to receive an MFA in creative writing from University of Virginia. [6]
Elie began his career as a business reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution . He then went on to become the road manager for jazz musician Wynton Marsalis. In 1995 he became a columnist and reporter for the New Orleans Times-Picayune . During this time he wrote several books, including Smokestack Lightning: Adventures in the Heart of Barbecue Country, a book that gained a cult-like following among food enthusiasts. [7] Elie also wrote and produced the award-winning documentary Faubourg Treme: The Untold Story of Black New Orleans (2008), which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, [8] was a winner at the 2008 San Francisco International Film Festival, and which made its TV debut on PBS in 2009. [9]
After leaving the Times Picayune in 2009, Elie became the story editor for HBO's Treme . [10] He wrote the episodes "I Thought I Heard Buddy Bolden Say", "Shame, Shame, Shame" and "Santa Claus, Do You Ever Get the Blues?" for which he won an NAACP Award. [11] [12] In 2013, Elie moved to Los Angeles where he became the executive story editor for AMC's Hell on Wheels . [13] His work has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Saveur, [14] Gourmet, Bon Appétit, and Smithsonian magazine [15] and he has been featured on NPR, [16] CBS News, [17] and 60 Minutes . [18] His work is included in Best African American Essays [19] and Best Food Writing: 2008. He is also a contributing editor to the Oxford American. [20]
Elie has been featured several times on Travel Channel's No Reservations [21] [22] and The Layover , both hosted by Anthony Bourdain. [23]
Elie is one of the founders of the Southern Foodways Alliance. [24] On July 23, 2013, his book Treme: Stories and Recipes from the Heart of New Orleans was released. Saveur named the book as one of the Best July Food Books. [25]
The Sazerac is a local variation of a cognac or whiskey cocktail originally from New Orleans, named for the Sazerac de Forge et Fils brand of cognac brandy that served as its original main ingredient. The drink is most traditionally a combination of cognac or rye whiskey, absinthe, Peychaud's Bitters, and sugar, although bourbon whiskey is sometimes substituted for the rye and Herbsaint is sometimes substituted for the absinthe. Some claim it is the oldest known American cocktail, with origins in antebellum New Orleans, although drink historian David Wondrich is among those who dispute this, and American instances of published usage of the word cocktail to describe a mixture of spirits, bitters, and sugar can be traced to the dawn of the 19th century.
Anthony Michael Bourdain was an American celebrity chef, author, and travel documentarian. He starred in programs focusing on the exploration of international culture, cuisine, and the human condition.
Tremé is a neighborhood in New Orleans, Louisiana. "Tremé" is often rendered as Treme, and the neighborhood is sometimes called by its more formal French name, the Faubourg Tremé; it is listed in the New Orleans City Planning Districts as Tremé / Lafitte when including the Lafitte Projects.
Calas are dumplings composed primarily of cooked rice, yeast, sugar, eggs, and flour; the resulting batter is deep-fried. It is traditionally a breakfast dish, served with coffee or cafe au lait, and has a mention in most Creole cuisine cookbooks. Calas are also referred to as Creole rice fritters or rice doughnuts.
David Judah Simon is an American author, journalist, screenwriter, and producer best known for his work on The Wire (2002–08).
The Rebirth Brass Band is a New Orleans brass band. The group was founded in 1983 by Phillip "Tuba Phil" Frazier, his brother Keith Frazier, Kermit Ruffins, and classmates from Joseph S. Clark Senior High School, which closed in the spring of 2018, in the Tremé neighborhood of New Orleans. Arhoolie released its first album in 1984.
Eric Ripert is a French chef, author, and television personality specializing in modern French cuisine and noted for his work with seafood.
Troy Andrews, also known by the stage name Trombone Shorty, is a musician, most notably a trombone player, from New Orleans, Louisiana. His music fuses rock, pop, jazz, funk, and hip hop.
Claiborne Avenue is a major thoroughfare in New Orleans, Louisiana. It runs the length of the city, about 9.5 miles (15.3 km), beginning at the Jefferson Parish line and ending at the St. Bernard Parish line; the street continues under different names in both directions. It is called South Claiborne Avenue upriver from Canal Street and North Claiborne Avenue from Canal to St. Bernard Parish.
Phillis Wheatley Elementary School is a school in New Orleans. The original school building was designed by the architect Charles Colbert in 1954 as a segregated school for African-American students. The cantilevered steel truss structure allowed for a covered play space underneath. The primary school building did not flood after Hurricane Katrina, but it remained closed. On June 17, 2011, the school was demolished, despite an 11th hour protest to save the building. In 2014, a newly constructed three-story campus opened to students.
Treme is an American drama television series created by David Simon and Eric Overmyer that aired on HBO. The series premiered on April 11, 2010, and concluded on December 29, 2013, comprising four seasons and 36 episodes. The series features an ensemble cast including Khandi Alexander, Rob Brown, Chris Coy, Kim Dickens, India Ennenga, John Goodman, Michiel Huisman, Melissa Leo, Lucia Micarelli, David Morse, Clarke Peters, Wendell Pierce, Jon Seda, and Steve Zahn, as well as musical performances by a number of New Orleans-based artists.
Texas Barbecue refers to methods of preparation for barbecue unique to Texan cuisine. Beef brisket, pork ribs, and sausage are among the most commonly known dishes. The term can also include side dishes that are traditionally served alongside the smoked meats.
Faubourg Tremé: The Untold Story of Black New Orleans, is a 2008 documentary film directed by Dawn Logsdon and written by Lolis Eric Elie. Featuring a cast of local musicians, artists and writers, the film relates the history of New Orleans' Tremé neighborhood.
As of 2012 Greater New Orleans has over 14,000 Vietnamese Americans and other people of Vietnamese origins.
Derrick Tabb is an American musician, a long-standing member of the Rebirth Brass Band and a co-founder of The Roots of Music, a non-profit organization that sponsors an after-school academic and music program for children in New Orleans. For onstage performances, Tabb plays the snare drum with cymbals mounted on stands. He was born and raised in the Tremé neighborhood of New Orleans.
Roots of Music, Inc. is a non-profit educational organization based in Orleans Parish, New Orleans, Louisiana. The organization operates an after-school program which provides academic tutoring and music mentoring for at-risk middle school students ages 9–14.
The Lafitte Greenway is a trail for pedestrians and bicycles located in New Orleans, Louisiana, extending from Louis Armstrong Park to Bayou St. John and beyond. Opened in 2015, it is the latest reconfiguration of a historic transportation corridor that has been in use for over two centuries.
Lolis Edward Elie was an American lawyer from New Orleans who was very active in the Civil Rights Movement.
"Smokestack Lightning" is a 1956 single recorded by Howlin' Wolf, and subsequently covered by many rock and blues bands and musicians.
Pableaux Johnson is a New Orleans-based writer, photographer, filmmaker, cook, and designer. His work focuses on the food and culture of New Orleans.