The late Kenneth Holditch was a linchpin of the New Orleans literary scene for decades, helping establish the Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival in 1986. Born and raised in Mississippi, Holditch visited the Crescent City as a teenager and swore he would live there one day. Early in his career as an English professor, he took a significant pay cut to come teach at the newly established University of New Orleans.
Speaking with the Historic New Orleans Collection in 2016, Holditch talked about creating his popular literary walking tour of the French Quarter, which he conducted for thirty years.