LSU ARCHIVES DR. GORDON'S RESEARCH
Research, papers and articles by the late Dr. Betsy Gordon are now in the Libraries
and Special Collections of Louisiana State University (LSU), where she received her
Ph.D. in speech communication and rhetoric.
Recognized as a landmark study, her 1991 dissertation, “The Rhetoric of Community
Ritual: The Blessing of the Shrimp Fleet at Chauvin, Louisiana,” was archived previously
in LSU’s Hill Research Library. She interviewed local residents and observed their
preparations and performance of the annual blessing and boat parade held in the Cajun
community.
“Dr. Gordon’s work details not only how this time-honored ritual changed since its
inception in the 1920s to the present day, but also its importance to the community
along the Little Caillou Bayou,” said Melissa Smith, assistant curator of manuscripts
at LSU. “The notes and images within these papers will offer future researchers a
wealth of information documenting a ritual and community currently threatened by coastline
erosion and climate change and how Dr. Gordon captured this unique slice of Louisiana
life.”
Interview tapes, slides, additional journal articles and a copy of her master’s thesis
were also sent to LSU. Dr. Gordon, who taught speech communication at McKendree for
27 years before her retirement last year, passed away on Sept. 21, 2018.