C-SPAN in Baton Rouge to chronicle history

The cable channel C-SPAN opens a weeklong trip to Baton Rouge today with a kickoff event featuring Secretary of State Tom Schedler and local leaders, authors and historians at 11 a.m. at the Old State Capitol, 100 North Blvd. Beginning today, C-SPAN is visiting Baton Rouge to conduct research for film segments on the city. The programs, which will appear on BookTV on C-Span 2 and American History TV on C-SPAN3, will examine the history and literary influence of Baton Rouge. They will air Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. Throughout their Baton Rouge week, C-SPAN producers will visit literary and historic sites and interview local historians, authors and civic leaders. Local authors to be profiled on BookTV include Wayne Parent, Robert Mann, Leo Honeycutt, Greg Langley and Rachel Emanuel. American History will explore the Old State Capitol, Plaquemine Lock, Magnolia Mound Plantation and the state archives; and it will spotlight President Zachary Taylor and cold civil rights cases. While in Baton Rouge, the C-SPAN crew will visit several local schools, including Tara and Baton Rouge Magnet high schools, Scotlandville Middle School, LSU Laboratory School and Christian Life Academy. Cox Communications is a partner in the production.