What Does a Heist in Paris Mean for the Delta?
On October 19, 2025, two thieves disguised as construction workers executed a daring heist at France’s Louvre Museum. Using a vehicle-mounted lift, they accessed a second-floor balcony, cut through a glass window, and stole nine priceless items from the Galerie d’Apollon in under seven minutes. Among the treasures taken were crowns and jewels linked to Napoleon Bonaparte and other French royalty—objects that carry immense cultural significance. One crown, inadvertently dropped during their escape, contained a diamond valued at $60 million. While the monetary value is staggering, authorities emphasize that the true loss is the cultural and historical importance these items hold for France and the world. The method of the theft in Paris was unique, but the nature of the loss is a fear we understand intimately.
Exterior of the Louvre museum with its iconic pyramid, Paris, France.
The Louvre, in this sense, is a “national museum,” holding objects that define the identity, history, and spirit of a nation. If we zoom out, even the Louvre is regional in the grand scale of the universe. By comparison, the Northeast Louisiana Delta African-American Heritage Museum is also regional, dedicated to preserving the cultural identity of African Americans in our community and our region. We house objects that are primary sources. They are the unedited, material evidence of a history that might otherwise be easily overlooked. To lose them is to lose the proof itself. The artifacts in our collection—whether jerseys from local sports heroes like Bill Russell, paintings by world-renowned artists like Don Cincone, or objects that tell the stories of everyday life in the Delta—carry deep cultural and emotional value. They are priceless in their ability to connect us to our past, our present, and our shared identity.
Paintings and sculpture by artist Don Cincone.
While our greatest fear isn’t a dramatic heist, it’s something more insidious: the quiet disappearance that comes from obscurity and neglect. Our “alarm system” isn’t just sensors; it’s the sustained interest and investment of our community. Just as the Louvre invests in the protection of its treasures, we rely on our community to safeguard ours. Participation through visits, memberships, donations, or event attendance is essential. Every act of support strengthens our ability to preserve and share the stories, art, and history that define us as a community. If you accept that preserving French history in the Louvre matters, then you must also accept that preserving the African-American experience in the Delta matters. The scale is different; the principle is identical.
Visitors enjoying the Fats Domino “I Found My Thrill” exhibition.
We are committed to preserving and sharing our heritage for generations to come. Much like France mourns the loss of its crown jewels, we recognize that losing any piece of our cultural history would be devastating. But together, through vigilance and community involvement, we can protect and celebrate the treasures that tell the story of the Northeast Louisiana Delta and its people. And as the Louvre seeks to reclaim its stolen treasures, we are reminded that the preservation of culture—whether in Paris or in the Delta—is a cause that unites us all, one you can support by becoming a member today.
