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From The Frontline: John Pope

The Historic New Orleans Collection

John Pope thinks a lot about death. And for good reason. He’s been writing obituaries since 1978. Pope found his beat under tragic circumstances, during the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s. Since then, he’s paid tribute to countless New Orleans luminaries and unsung heroes alike. In this edition of the Historic New Orleans Collection’s oral history series, NOLA Life Stories, Pope reflects on life, death, and how the dead go on living.

Sarah Holtz covers local history. Her work has also aired on Houston Public Media, Northern California Public Media, KFAI, KTOO, KUNM, WCAI, WGBH, and WWOZ.
Mark Cave is an oral historian and senior curator at the Historic New Orleans Collection.