BATON ROUGE — The LSU Cold Case Project, LSU Storytellers Lab, and Manship School of Mass Communication will host a listening event for a new podcast series titled Bitter Jaguar: The Shooting of Denver Smith and Leonard Brown on Friday, December 1 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 into 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 features 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.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Drew Hawkins – [email protected]
About LSU Cold Case Project: 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.
About LSU Storytellers Lab: 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.
About Manship School of Mass Communication: The mission of the LSU Manship School is to produce highly competent communicators with broad knowledge and training in the liberal arts and the media.
