Listening Event at LSU to Premiere First Episode of Podcast about 1972 Southern University Shooting

November 30, 2023

BATON ROUGE—The LSU Cold Case Project, LSU Storytellers Lab and LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communication will host a listening event for a new podcast series, “Bitter Jaguar: The Shooting of Denver Smith and Leonard Brown,” on Friday, December 1, at 5:30 p.m., in the Boyce Gallery located in Julian T. White Hall on LSU’s campus.

The series, written and produced by Drew Hawkins, LSU graduate student and Gulf States Newsroom Health Equity reporter, delves into the award-winning LSU Cold Case Project's investigation of the tragic shooting of Denver Smith and Leonard Brown by law enforcement on Southern University’s campus on November 16, 1972.

The upcoming podcast series examines the profound impacts on the Smith and Brown families, offering an in-depth exploration into the investigations conducted by the FBI, Department of Justice and Louisiana’s Attorney General. Moreover, "Bitter Jaguar" scrutinizes the enduring legacy of the shooting over the past 50 years, providing a nuanced perspective on the historical, social and cultural repercussions.

The event is free and open to the public, and will feature speakers from Southern University, LSU, and the Smith and Brown families. The opening episode of the podcast will be played, followed by a Q&A session. Refreshments will be served.

Event Details:

  • What: Podcast listening event
  • Where: Boyce Gallery, located in Julian T. White Hall (formerly the Design Building), 102 Julian T. White Hall, LSU
  • When: Friday, December 1, 5:30 p.m. CT

For more information, contact Drew Hawkins, drew@wwno.org.  

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The LSU Cold Case Project is a Manship School of Mass Communication effort to bring closure to unsolved Civil Rights-era, Klan-related homicides in Louisiana and southern Mississippi.

The Storytellers Lab is comprised of scholars, community members and leaders, students and friends who use interpretative and arts-based qualitative methods to shed light on identity, culture, and society through diverse perspectives and stories.

LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communication ranks among the strongest collegiate communication programs in the country, with its robust emphasis on media and public affairs. It offers undergraduate degrees in public relations, journalism, political communication, digital advertising and pre-law, along with four graduate degree programs: Master of Mass Communication, Ph.D. in Media and Public Affairs, Certificate of Strategic Communication and a dual MMC/Law degree. Like us on Facebook @ManshipSchool, or follow us on Twitter @ManshipSchool, Instagram @ManshipSchool and LinkedIn LSU Manship School of Mass Communication.

 

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