In2021,editorAlexNeason'sgrandfatherpassedaway.Onhisfuneralprogram,shelearnedthenameofhisfatherforthefirsttime:WilsonHoward.NotNeason.Howard.Andwhensheaskedherfamilywhyhislastnamewasdifferentfromeverybodyelse's,nobodyhadananswer. Inthisepisode,wetagalongasAlexsearchesforanswersthroughswampycemeteries,libraries,andarchivesintheheartofsouthLouisiana:whowashergreatgrandfather,really?IsshesupposedtobeaNeason?WheredidthenameNeasoncomefrom,anyways?Andisanamesomethingwhoseweightyouhavetoshed,orisittheonlypathforwardintothefuture?Specialthanksto,CherylNeason-Isidore,KarenNeasonDykes,JohariNeason,KeaunNeason,KevinNeason,AnthonyNeason,thelateClarenceNeasonSr.andAnthonyNeason,ClarenceNeasonJr.,OliviaNeason,ToriNeason,OreliaAmeliaJackson,RussellGragg,VictorYvellez,AsherGriffith,DevanSchwartz,MyrriahGossett,SabrinaThomas,NancyRichard,KatieNeason,AmandaHayden,GabrielLee,PaulBrandenburg,JustinFlynn,MarkMiller,KennyBentley,JasonIsaac,IreneTrudel,BillHyland,thestaffmembersattheOrleansParish,EastFelicianaParish,andPlaqueminesParishClerkofCourtoffices.

EpisodeCredits:Reportedby-AlexNeasonwithhelpfrom-NickaSewell-SmithProducedby-AnnieMcEwenwithhelpfrom-AndrewViñalesMusicperformedby-JasonIsaac,PaulBrandenburg,JustinFynn,MarkMiller,andKennyBentleywithengineeringandmixinghelpfrom-ArianneWackandIreneTrudelFact-checkingby-EmilyKriegerEpisodeCitations:Audio- YoucanlistentotheepisodeofLaBrega (https://zpr.io/p5EcBJyU2dfJ),inEnglishandinSpanish.OurnewslettercomesouteveryWednesday.Itincludesshortessays,recommendations,anddetailsaboutotherwaystointeractwiththeshow.Signup(https://radiolab.org/newsletter)!

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