Lagniappe
Unexpected Gifts from the Archives
In the Creole tradition of New Orleans, a lagniappe is a small, unexpected gift—something extra, given freely, for good measure. The word itself carries a layered history, moving from Quechua (yapa) into Spanish and French before settling into the everyday language of the lower Mississippi Valley. It names the thirteenth roll in a baker’s dozen, the extra thrown in at the end of a transaction, the surprise that exceeds what was asked for.
Mark Twain famously described lagniappe as “a word worth travelling to New Orleans to get,” praising its flexibility, warmth, and generosity. It is not simply a bonus, but a gesture—an offering that invites curiosity, delight, and a closer look.
Lagniappe Exhibits
The Lagniappe series highlights “hidden gems” from member archives: singular documents, images, or objects chosen by our archivists themselves.
Each Lagniappe is an invitation...to pause, to linger, and to imagine what new stories might emerge when we take something small and look at it closely.
Enjoy these unexpected gifts from the collections, offered in the hope that someone—perhaps you—will pick them up and carry them further.
