Overview and Reflection

From 1803-1862 was called the Antebellum period during this time Louisiana was purchased from Napoleon. The period also included the Dred Scott case that ruled neither free or enslaved blacks had constitutional rights. By 1850 85% of blacks were skilled workers. Reconstruction in New Orleans was from 1865-1877. Plessy v Ferguson case created separate but equal public facilities. These difficult times in New Orleans spurred creativity from the black community.

Women

There were many influential women that took part in the New Orleans civil rights movement. Without some of the women presented in the documentary New Orleans and even the world may not be what it is today. Women like Oretha Castle Haley (seen above) have gone above and beyond what was asked of them.

Oretha Castle Haley -- (1939 - 1987) Haley was a founding member of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) in New Orleans. She was an active participant in the boycotts and strikes of the New Orleans civil rights movement, and she became the head of CORE. Later in her life, Castle created the New Orleans Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation and helped found Voices of the New Orleans Movement, an organization dedicated to preserving the history of the civil rights movement of New Orleans.

Music

After the Transatlantic slave trade, many Africans were stripped of their homes, families, and culture. A huge part of that culture was music and dance. They were not allowed to bring their instruments to the new world, because slave masters wanted to dehumanize them. All of their traditions were frowned upon and were considered socially unacceptable. However, in New Orleans, a place called Congo square was a place for celebration.

In Congo Square, slaves were able to temporarily escape oppression through art. Music served as an outlet. It was used to release emotions, as well as inspire others during this period of struggle. The Civil Rights Movement in New Orleans had heart because of the west African traditions that were practiced right in the heart of Treme.

The dance styles of many African Americans in New Orleans today are very similar to our ancestors during this movement. It’s important to make that connection and understand how relevant and necessary neighborhoods like Treme are in our lives.

The Newspapers

The L'Union was the first black daily newspaper in New Orleans. In 1862 which was originally written in French. Voting was very important because the freed men took up majority vote after the Civil War and Louisiana had the largest free black populations during that time.

The History

Rico's part