Episode 98 - Lost Cemeteries of New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana is famously known for its intricate above ground cemeteries, but what about the cemeteries that have been lost to time? In this episode Jennie and Dianne speak with returning guest, Ryan Seidemann, about the Ordinary Extraordinary cemeteries that have disappeared beneath the streets and buildings of the Big Easy; including Caesars Superdome, home of the New Orleans Saints football team. From New Orleans' Very first cemetery, to Jewish cemeteries, to the Charity Hospital cemetery and many other burial grounds, Ryan delves in to what happened to them in the past and what is being done to help preserve them or at least recognize them now and in the future.
Ryan M. Seidemann
Lawyer, Archeologist, Anthropologist, Professor
Ryan M. Seidemann earned a B.A. in anthropology from Florida State University, an M.A. in anthropology from Louisiana State University and was a contract archaeologist for several years before earning J.D. and B.C.L. degrees in law from Louisiana State University. He is now the Chief of the Lands & Natural Resources Section of the Louisiana Department of Justice and his clients include the Louisiana Division of Archaeology, the Louisiana State Mineral and Energy Board, and the Louisiana Cemetery Board. Mr. Seidemann is also an adjunct professor of law at the Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge. Mr. Seidemann's research includes examinations of water and wetlands law, cemetery and archaeological site protection law, and human remains analysis. He has authored more than 50 publications in the fields of law, anthropology, and cemetery studies.