In 1976 the New Orleans Public Library received a $330,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to conduct a series of lectures, discussions, exhibits, and other activities examining the culture and history of New Orleans. The original grant proposal was written in consultation with an Advisory Committee which served the Library for five years. The program was named Jambalaya and from 1977 through 1980 it presented 194 events featuring 284 speakers, panelists, and performers within a framework of twenty-seven individual series.

Participants and/or correspondents included Tennessee Williams, Stephen Ambrose, Walker Percy, Paul Prudhomme, Ellis Marsalis, Dutch Morial, Charles Neville, Clarence John Laughlin, Joan Martin, Jonathan Williams, Lillian Hellman, Cleanth Brooks, Enrique Alferez, John William Corrington, John Duffy, Peter Feibleman, James K. Glassman, Shirley Ann Grau, Sheldon Hackney, Peter Kalisher, Moon Landrieu, Charles Moore, Victor Schiro, and Leonard Slatkin.

Topics explored in the Jambalaya series included the New Orleans Mardi Gras; urban setting; economy; literary scene; film-making; radio and television; music; children's books; politics; the melting pot; New Deal art; journalism; the Mississippi River; cuisine; environment; medicine; education; and future. Some programs focused on related topics as they pertained to South Louisiana outside of the Crescent City.