Jim Bradshaw is a journalist with an abiding interest in local history. He was raised in Lake Charles, LA., where he created his first neighborhood newspaper at age 10. He graduated from J.A. Landry Memorial High School and then the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette), where he majored in English and journalism with a minor in history. While at USL, Bradshaw was a member of the Student Government Association and the Student Union Board of Directors, and edited the Vermilion, the student newspaper. He received the Southwestern Award of Achievement at graduation in 1967. In 1998, Bradshaw received the Outstanding Alumnus Award from the Department of Communication. In 2006, he became an honorary member of Epsilon-Xi Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta (International History Honor Society).

Bradshaw has spent most of his career engaged in journalism in Lafayette. He has been Associate Director of the Department of Communications and Managing Editor of The Morning Star for the Diocese of Lafayette. He was editor and general manager of Acadiana Profile for three years. Most of his work has been at the Lafayette Daily Advertiser, where he has served at different times as City Editor, Metro Editor, Acting Managing Editor, and senior writer. He has also served on the editorial board and written editorials for the Opelousas Daily World. While holding these responsibilities, Bradshaw has also usually been involved in writing a weekly column, which usually focused on local history. He has won numerous awards for his journalism and his writing about local history.