Southern Jewish Experience
Kenneth Hoffman, Executive Director of the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience in New Orleans, explored the vital role of Southern Jewish communities in freedom movements. From abolition to the Civil Rights era, this program highlighted the complex and often overlooked contributions of these communities in the ongoing struggle for justice and equality.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Kenneth Hoffman was born in Houston and raised in Baton Rouge. He earned a B.A. and an M.A. in history from Tulane University. Hoffman started his museum career as a grant writer for the New Orleans Museum of Art and as the curator of education at the Louisiana State Museum. From 2004 to 2006, he served as president of the Louisiana Association of Museums, leading the association through the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. In 2017, Hoffman ended an eighteen-year tenure as director of education at The National WWII Museum when he was hired to create the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience, in New Orleans, which opened in May 2021. He currently serves as the museum’s executive director. Hoffman, his wife, and their two children live in New Orleans’ Black Pearl neighborhood, yet don't eat at Camellia Grill nearly enough.
FUNDED BY
Funding for the 2026 Program Mini Grant has been provided by the State of Louisiana and administered by the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities. The views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed by this organization do not necessarily represent those of either the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities or the State of Louisiana.