New Orleans

New Orleans is one of the most culturally vibrant cities in the United States. During New Orleans' early beginnings, it was a vital trading capital for the french because of its critical positioning at the mouth of the Mississippi. In 1763, the Treaty of Paris was signed by Spain and used as a trading post with their partners. Spain was not as rigged about its racial perspectives and allowed for a larger population of freed colored peoples'. After decades of Spain's ownership, New Orleans was finally sold Back to the French and the to the United States on April 30, 1803, as part of the Louisiana Purchase.

After the United States purchased New Orleans, the residents held on to some beliefs and culture. French culture was held onto and the Creoles, American born people from European settlers, continued their French lineage and life up until the Civil War when ways of life changes under American laws and segregation.

The Antebellum period of New Orleans may have brought profit to the city with plantations cultivating sugar mills worth millions. However, the sad truth of labor and plantation slavery was at play in the Antebellum success. This would not last long as the Civil War was to occur, and even though the city saw no fighting, fortunately, it was never the same again with slavery. Civil War was a factor in a changing time for plantation owners, but the new railway system also diverted transportation from the city. However, placed at the mouth of the Mississippi River, New Orleans still was able to maintain itself, utilizing the Mississippi as a main vein for commerce. Not only goods found their way traveling the water way but dance, music and culture, changing aspects of American arts and lives drastically. (Neworleans.com, n.d)

"The crowd he discovered, when he moved into it to see what was going on, comprised not a single mass, but a series of clusters. The members of each cluster crowded around to form a rough circle, "the largest not ten feet in diameter (Johnson, 1991, p. 118 )." Johnson continues to quote Benjamin Henry Latrobe's description of Congo Square when he came upon it in 1819. Latrobe writes, "In the middle or on the edge of each circle sat or squatted two or three musicians, and, in most circles, around or in front of the musicians, from two to a dozen dancers moved to the rhythm of the circle's music, song, and chant (Johnson, 1991, p. 118 )."

Congo Square, a growing area of New Orleans, is pivotal in the birth of jazz music and culture as well as a space to perform a day of freedom and culture. But the performing arts were not all held there (Johnson, 1991). 

Congo Square began during the French colonial periods, known as "Place Publique (Johnson, 1991, p. 121)". During this period, the code Noir or Black Codes "exempted slaves from forced labor on Sundays and religious holidays (Johnson, 1991, p. 122)." Slaves would bring their products from crops and forages from the local woods to sell in the Congo Square market. Eventually, between the lulls of sales, dance and music would become a by-product of the markets and vendors. Adherence of 'freed day' for slaves by the French would also be adhered to by the Spanish. Also, the legal limbo of the Code Noir prohibited slaves from gathering, selling products, or owning a product of their own (Johnson, 1991). 

A disruption to this way of life for both New Orleans residents and the new expansion of America, the Louisiana Purchase gained this territory for the United States. It changed Congo Square's way of life. The Americans were not as relaxed on slave freedoms, nor used to seeing such large gatherings of Black culture. The opening quote shows the exotic look and the apparent fear that Latrobe felt when he stumbled upon the square. Stricter laws, as well as redesign, were put in place. Seasonally used as a space for a circus, New Orleans had a new attraction, Congo Circus (Johnson, 1991). After several unofficial names, Congo Plains and Congo Square in the colored community, it was not until after George Washington used those names in an article that the names caught on, especially during the Cotton Exposition of 1884-1885. Congo Square was rarely used for markets, and laws made it difficult for slaves to be at the park in large groups. However, song and dance did not end altogether, they still lived a bit in the surrounding colored communities. Musicologists believe jazz saw birth through dance during the markets (Johnson, 1991). 

Over many years Congo Square has seen many transformations, and its peoples also experienced harsh laws and aggressive attitudes from city officials. However, the name Congo Square was lost in the movement of parks and arms during the civil war, and today is commemorated by the city as being named Armstrong Park, after the city's jazz hero and early godfather of jazz, Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong, Trumpet player (Johnson, 1991). 

The St. Augustine Church has seen its fair share of issues through New Orleans History. However, It still stands today. Standing across from Armstrong Park, also historically known as Congo Square, the church has had an influential part in jazz music, specifically the Second-Line performance, instilling a cultural memory to the artist and a religious aspect to the performance.

The church was formed in 1841 under French rule and the importance of this was the unique situation of free Blacks of this time. The Creoles, or those born from both French and Black parents had “French names, and some had been educated in Europe. Most Importantly, they were Catholic (Persica, 2016, p. 1)." The Creoles were not white yet, not seen as slaves neither. They were able to live this way up until the civil war when the American way changes way of life and later the creoles were segregated as Black under Jim Crow laws (Persica, 2016).

St. Augustines Church also played a pivotal role in the Civil Rights struggle. “Parishioner Homer Plessy, who was one-eighth black and thus considered black under state law, made the consequential decision to board a train at a depot 15 blocks from the church (Persica, 2016, p. 2).” Thus, the Supreme Courts case Plessy vs. Ferguson decision in 1896. Furthermore, A.P. Tureaud SR., another parishioner of St. Augustine, became a leader in the Civil Rights Movements, working with Thurgood Marshall (Persica, 2016).

Hurricane Katrina Came along in 2005 devastating New Orleans and the Black community. St. Augustine suffered damage but was not destroyed. At the time, the pastor, Verbite FR. Jerome LeDoux stood as a symbol of strength for those in the surrounding neighborhood by staying in the church the days after the storm without essentials such as electricity. However, the damage was done and many parishioners did not return due to damage as well as the other institutional forces. This caused a possible closure and protest began. It was restored and now stands as a crucial tourist attraction with a huge congregation (Persica, 2016). The member are “passionate as its black parishioners about preserving the church’s African-American culture (Persica, 2016, p. 2).”

However, the area of Treme that St. Augustine resides in is facing an uphill battle with gentrification turning the city of New Orleans and the Treme community into an unaffordable housing area and forcing its African American community out of their homes (Persica, 2016).