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October 1938. "Cajun girls at Rice Festival in Crowley, Louisiana." 35mm nitrate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
Words could not possibly express the joy that we feel as we celebrate rice with our loved ones and neighbors.
If these ladies would smile they would be absolutely radiant.
This was the first year for Crowley's Rice Festival which marked its 75th year in 2011 (no doubt a few war years intervened). If these lasses made it to the 1959 event, they'd have heard Jackie Kennedy addressing the crowd in French, although I'm guessing her Parisian patois was close to a foreign language for the French speakers in the crowd. JFK was there, too.
I bet those somber faces were brightened after hearing the band in the second photo, some of the many musicians who played at the '38 shindig. That fellow on the left sure looks familiar.
OR maybe they were bummed by not being in the beauty contest with these winsome young ladies. Both photos by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration/WPA.
You WILL enjoy the festival....OR ELSE!
Somehow they don't seem to be enjoying the festival as much as this little guy.
Ok everybody smile for the camera! Oh you ARE smiling.
Great caption quip, Dave, but they look like they had an eerie premonition and, boy, have they got your number.
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