[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 35 (Friday, February 25, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E179]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                   REMEMBERING LORETTA SHAW HARRISON

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. TROY A. CARTER

                              of louisiana

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, February 25, 2022

  Mr. CARTER of Louisiana. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
late Loretta Shaw Harrison.
  Loretta S. Harrison was born in Verret, Louisiana, on February 1, 
1956, the seventh child of twelve born to the late George W. Shaw, Sr. 
and Loretta Louise Moore Shaw. She passed away peacefully around family 
and friends on February 16, 2022, at the age of 66, after a brave 
battle with breast cancer. She is survived by three sons she adored, 
Robert, Roddrick, and Kendrick; two grandchildren; two godchildren; 
eight of her siblings; and many nephews, nieces, and friends.
  Loretta was a faithful steward of God with the belief that if you 
``put God first, He will grant the wishes of your heart.'' She shared 
her unwavering love and dedication for God and the city of New Orleans 
with everyone she encountered. She was a woman with incredible grace 
and moral fortitude and was a guiding light to her friends and 
community.
  Loretta, lovingly referred to as the ``Praline Queen,'' was the chef 
and owner of the historic Loretta's Authentic Pralines, becoming the 
first African American woman to own and operate a praline company in 
New Orleans. She made friends and admirers worldwide through her shop 
and her long-standing record as a food vendor at the city's biggest 
festivals, starting with the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Her 
mother made pralines after church for family and guests visiting their 
home. By age 8, Loretta was cooking them alongside her mom, using a 
recipe that went back to her great grandmother. After graduating from 
Southern University at New Orleans, she went to work at the LSU Medical 
Library, where she sold pralines to students on the side. In 1978, her 
big break came when she heard that the Jazz & Heritage Festival put out 
the call for a praline vendor. She won the contract, sold 1,500 
pralines in two weekends, and continued to supply the festival for over 
40 years. The success inspired her to leave her job and develop her 
business full time.
  Unfortunately, success did not come without a few failures along the 
way. Yet, she believed in her product and herself. By 1983, she opened 
her first shop in Jax Brewery. Later, she moved to the French Market, 
and in the 1990s, by the grace of God, she opened a second, much larger 
shop and production kitchen in Faubourg Marigny that serves gumbo, 
seafood platters, stuffed peppers, and calas, as well as pie, cookies, 
and king cake. She was a proud entrepreneur who advocated for local 
business owners, cultural and culinary arts.
  After Hurricane Katrina, she quickly returned to New Orleans and was 
a vocal advocate for small businesses in meetings with national and 
local officials. During this difficult time, her business was buoyed by 
her steadfast belief that anything which can be destroyed can be 
rebuilt. She took immediate action, changing her business model to 
include an online storefront and becoming a restaurant for reporters, 
emergency workers, and volunteers rebuilding the city. She added plate 
lunches and dishes like gumbo, figuring people needed a place to grab a 
meal more than sweets. She would continue to evolve her menu and 
creations. She added praline filling to traditional beignets and even 
made beignets into sandwiches filled with crab cakes, eggs and bacon, 
and hamburger patties.
  A veritable Renaissance Woman, she was a faithful member of Franklin 
Avenue Baptist Church. She was a wonder to all who knew and loved her, 
and she will be remembered fondly for her joyful spirit and relentless 
optimism, which served her well until God called her home. Through her 
heroic battle with cancer, Loretta has helped shower numerous heavenly 
graces and blessings upon all of those she loved so deeply, and we are 
eternally grateful. I was honored and blessed to have known Loretta 
Harrison, and send my prayers to her beloved family in this difficult 
time.

                          ____________________