HR 223

ENROLLED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 223
BY REPRESENTATIVE WALTERS
  A RESOLUTION
To urge and request the city of Shreveport to partner with certain enumerated entities to
       advance the Southern Soul City initiative.
       WHEREAS, Shreveport has been unofficially dubbed the "Southern Soul Capitol"
as part of an effort to bring recognition to the culturally rich music history of Northwest
Louisiana and to bring more tourism to the region; and
       WHEREAS, Southern Soul is an eclectic derivative of soul music that emerged in
the Southern United States, blending elements of blues, rhythm and blues, gospel, and
occasionally country and rock n' roll; and
       WHEREAS, a resolution was filed during the 2026 Regular Session to designate
Shreveport as the Southern Soul City; and
       WHEREAS, this effort is more than honorary or symbolic, it is intentional with the
specific goal of marketing this musical genre with the intent of generating revenue to
strengthen the region; and
       WHEREAS, Southern Soul is more than just music, it is an expression of life,
culture, and dialect and soon to become an economic engine for the revitalization of
Shreveport; and
       WHEREAS, the Annual Shreveport Blues and Southern Soul Pre-Labor Day Fest
celebrated its fourteenth year in 2025; and
       WHEREAS, the festival highlights African-American culture, arts, and
entrepreneurship, providing opportunities for businesses to thrive while also benefitting the
community as a whole; and
       WHEREAS, the festival is the sound of the city, attracting thousands of visitors and
leading to increased spending on accommodations, dining, and entertainment, which creates
jobs and supports local businesses; and
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HR NO. 223  ENROLLED
        WHEREAS, the festival also highlights local restaurants which are the heart and soul
of the community where people share time and conversation over meals prepared by local
chefs who have that Southern Soul flair; and
        WHEREAS, these restaurants are residual beneficiaries of what Southern Soul
continues to bring to the city of Shreveport; and
        WHEREAS, the continued growth of the festival has produced a corresponding
increase in its economic impact on the city of Shreveport; and
        WHEREAS, Shreveport intends to capitalize on this sustained growth through a
Southern Soul initiative to enhance tourism, hospitality, entertainment, the small business
ecosystem, and the Shreveport Regional Airport; and
        WHEREAS, Southern Soul has also been the backdrop of athletic events like the Red
River Classic, highlighting Historically Black Colleges and Universities athletic talent; and
        WHEREAS, during these events, university bands are front and center drawing
inspiration from the music to entertain and inspire; and
        WHEREAS, music has been the soundtrack to many movements across the country
and Southern Soul has become the soundtrack to Shreveport's movement toward sustained
economic prosperity; and
        WHEREAS, Shreveport has a bold vision to market the Southern Soul experience
and welcome people from across the country to visit the city and celebrate its rich music
culture while simultaneously providing an economic boost to the region; and
        WHEREAS, through Southern Soul, the city of Shreveport plans to pursue the
creation of a Southern Soul museum to recognize the worthy contributors to the genre; a
Southern Soul Recording Academy to recognize excellence in the recording arts and to
ensure that music remains an indelible part of our culture; an exhibit to be placed at the
Shreveport Regional Airport to remind travelers that they are located in the city that
originated Southern Soul; a Shreveport Street Walk of Fame to honor and celebrate the city's
rich music history; downtown Southern Soul inspired murals to promote cultural expression
and facilitate community engagement; and a local Southern Soul history month to raise
awareness of the importance of this music genre's importance to the city, along with the
establishment of a framework for city and parish incentives for the historic preservation of
the arts.
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HR NO. 223  ENROLLED
       THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge and request the city of Shreveport to partner with
certain enumerated entities to advance the Southern Soul City initiative.
       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the chair of the Southern Soul Foundation will
partner with the city of Shreveport, the parish of Caddo, the Shreveport Regional Airport,
the Shreve Memorial Library, the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission, visit Shreveport-
Bossier tourism, and the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism on these endeavors
no later than October 2026, to create an annual phase system to ensure the success of the
Southern Soul City initiatives.
       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the president of the Southern Soul City
Foundation, with assistance from the governing authority of the city of Shreveport, shall
provide a written annual phase report to the commissioner of the Department of Culture,
Recreation and Tourism by October first of 2026, 2027, and 2028, providing details on
progress made on the Southern Soul City initiatives.
       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
mayor of Shreveport, the chair of the board of directors of the Shreveport-Bossier African
American Chamber of Commerce, the chairman of the board of directors of the Shreveport
Regional Airport, the president of the board of control of the Shreve Memorial Library, the
vice president of business development of the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist
Bureau, the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission, and the commissioner of the
Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism.
  SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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