Today, enjoy art after hours in City Park, bounce on St. Claude, see Flogging Molly at HOB, and more. On this day in 1956, Federal Judge S. Wright ordered the desegregation of New Orleans schools. Now, click through to plan your Friday.

Today, Charlie Wilson, D’Angelo and Trey Songz perform at Essence Fest, soul writer meet at the Public Library, Motions hosts a pop-up style bar at the W, Biz Markie is in town, and Jimmy Robinson releases a new CD. On this day in history, late gospel singer Bessie Griffin was born in New Orleans (1922), , and Louis Armstrong died in his sleep at his Corona, New York home at the age of 69 (1971). Now back to today:

Today, sip your tea proper in honor of Queen Lizzy, shop for your freshest in Armstrong Park, stroll down Julia Street for new exhibits, get your soul in order with big gospel, a shake what you’re sitting on with Big Freedia at Howlin’ Wolf for a cause. It's the first day of hurricane season, National Doughnut Day, and the first day of HIV Testing Month. So make a plan and get to these:

Today, the French Quarter Fest explodes into its second day with a lineup much bigger than yesterday's, Hurray for The Riff Raff have a record release party at the Allways Lounge, and the Royal Teeth have a Zoolander throwback party at the Republic. This day in history, Legendary record producer and owner of famed J&M Studios Cosimo Matassa was born in New Orleans (1926), and in the 1964 Grammy Awards Louis Armstrong picked up the award (his only Grammy) for Best Male Vocal Performance for "Hello, Dolly." Click through for more.

Today, Streetcar Season opens at the NOMA Sculpture Garden, Foburg Fest kicks off, Built to Spill rips into One Eyed Jack's and  Papa Mali brings together some of New Orleans' finest musicians. On this day, Pierre Lafitte died near Creve Coeur, Missouri - as one account had it (1844), and we wish a very happy birthday to Lloyd Price. Prove you've got Personality with these:

by Brad Rhines

Between playing poker and brushing up on the finer points of the Napoleonic Code, Stanley Kowalski seems unlikely to spend his Friday night at the New Orleans Museum of Art, but that’s just what he’ll be doing as NOMA presents the film A Streercar Named Desire this Friday in the Bestoff Sculpture Garden. 

Today, Bounce luminaries raise money to send themselves to Texas and Iris May Tango returns to Frenchmen St. On this day in the Bayou State, country music singer and former singing candidate for lieutenant governor Sammy Kershaw was born in Kaplan (1958) and legendary WWOZ host Betty Big Mama Rankin died in N.O.(1998). Now here's what's happening today:

July 29, the day when the Arc de Triomphe was inaugurated in Paris (1836), when the Olympic Games returned after a 12-year hiatus during World War II (1948) amd when Prince Charles married Princess Diana at St. Paul's Cathedral in London (1981). It's the birthday of Alexis de Tocqueville (1805), and the last day of Vincent van Gogh (1890), and Luis Buñuel (1983). There's no hiatus in New Orleans, so click through to check out these events:

June 17th, when Mughal emperor Shah Jahan I’s wife died during childbirth, leaving him to spend the next seventeen years building her mausoleum, aka the Taj Mahal (1631), when French explorers Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet reached the Mississippi and were the first to make a detailed account of the river’s course (1673), the Revolutionary War’s Battle of Bunker Hill (1775), when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against allowing the reciting of Bible verses and the Lord’s Prayer in public schools in Abington School District v. Schempp (1963), when Nixon  declared the (joke of a) War on Drugs (1971), when five operatives were arrested for something called, um, Watergate (1972), and when O.J. Simpson was arrested for the alleged murdering of his wife and her friend Ronald Goldman (1994)

June 3, not only Jefferson Davis’ Birthday (1808), but Confederate Memorial Day in Louisiana, a state holiday to honor those who died fighting for the confederate states during the Civil War. Confederate Memorial Day occurs in multiple states, including Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia. Different commemoratory events happen in each location; The University of Georgia’s Main Library, for instance, publicly displays the original Confederate Constitution. Other people go LARP and re-enact signature Civil War battles in elaborately historical costume. State offices and schools are generally closed (if they haven't already commenced summer vacation). However, some are opposed to this day of remembrance as they feel it's paying respect to a culture that promoted slavery. Whether or not you’re observing today, here are some additional options: