This lecture by Ned Sublette—historian, musicologist, and documentary producer— explores the historical and cultural connections between Haiti and New Orleans, emphasizing their shared colonial past, African heritage, and shared cultural developments. Sublette explains the limited maritime contact between New Orleans and Haiti due to unfavorable ocean currents. However, he also notes that both cities faced south and shared a Catholic heritage, distinct from the Protestant Anglo-American colonies. Sublette offers background on the French colony of Saint-Domingue, its reliance on enslaved African labor, and the subsequent Haitian Revolution. He discusses the impact of the Haitian Revolution on New Orleans, including the enormous influx of refugees around the start of the nineteenth century. This mass migration from Haiti to New Orleans had a significant impact on the city’s music, religion, politics, cuisine, literature, and journalism. Sublette stresses the flow of revolutionary ideas from Haiti to New Orleans, the contributions made by Haitian actors to New Orleans’s early theater scene, and the influence of Haitian Vodou on the city’s spiritual practices. He outlines the significant African influence on both cultures, noting their common investment in African instruments and approaches to rhythm as well their development of cognate cultural practices, exemplified by the similarities between the New Orleans second line and Haitian rara parades.

This lecture is distributed by An Open Classroom on New Orleans Culture. It was created with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Google Education, New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts, the Department of Mass Communication at Xavier University of Louisiana, and the Division of Undergraduate Education at the University of California, Berkeley.

This lecture by Brian Mitchell (Director of Research and Interpretation, Abraham Lincoln Museum) discusses Oscar James Dunn, Louisiana’s first Black Lieutenant Governor. It discusses Dunn's life, political career, and legacy, highlighting his significant contributions during the Reconstruction era. Mitchell details Dunn's journey from enslavement to freedom, his education, and his early career as a music teacher and labor contract negotiator, and explains how Dunn became involved in politics, his appointment as Assistant Board of Aldermen, and his historic election as Lieutenant Governor. Mitchell also describes Dunn's role in the political battle over the Civil Rights Bill and his rivalry with Louisiana Governor Henry Clay Warmoth. Mitchell closes by describing the circumstances surrounding Dunn's sudden death and the widespread speculation of poisoning. He highlights the grand scale of Dunn's funeral, attended by thousands of mourners. In closing, Mitchell explores the deliberate efforts to erase Dunn's accomplishments from history after Reconstruction. In sum, this lecture provides a comprehensive overview of Oscar James Dunn's life and legacy, shedding light on a significant but often overlooked figure in American history. It also highlights the importance of historical research and the power of individual stories to challenge dominant narratives and reclaim forgotten legacies.

This lecture is distributed by An Open Classroom on New Orleans Culture. It was created with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Google Education, New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts, the Department of Mass Communication at Xavier University of Louisiana, and the Division of Undergraduate Education at the University of California, Berkeley.

This is the eulogy offered by Michael White at the funeral for Bennie Pete, the leader of the Hot 8 Brass Band. From two different generations—one committed to upholding a traditional early 20th century repertoire of songs and the other to tearing up the streets with new music written about their own experiences—the two band leaders, Michael White and Bennie Pete, formed a friendship that is vital to remember in the history of jazz. This film was shot by Noé Cugny and edited by Ted Morée. It is distributed by Neighborhood Story Project and An Open Classroom on New Orleans Culture, with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Mellon Foundation, and the Division of Arts and Humanities at the University of California, Berkeley.

This essay is a guide for educators describing available resources for teaching African American poetry from New Orleans. It offers a survey of significant poets and their works, with a particular focus on Brenda Marie Osbey. The document begins with an introduction that outlines its purpose and provides questions for reflection and discussion. It is broken into six units. Unit 1, The Songs of Congo Square and of the Slave Coffles, explores early forms of African American expression in New Orleans through songs, including songs sung in Congo Square and the slave coffles. Unit 2, Afro-Creole Poets, focuses on the Afro-Creole poets of the nineteenth century, including Les Cenelles, analyzing their love poems as potential political allegories. Unit 3, Black Modernist Poets from New Orleans, examines the works by Alice Dunbar-Nelson, Margaret Walker, and Marcus B. Christian, analyzing themes of identity, justice, and Black experience. Unit 4, Black Poetry in New Orleans During the Civil Rights and Black Power Era and Their Long Aftermath, surveys the work of poets such as Bob Kaufman, Tom Dent, Kalamu Ya Salaam, Alvin Aubert, Arthur Pfister, Mona Lisa Saloy, and Natasha Trethewey. It analyzes their responses to social and political pressures and their contributions to the Black Arts Movement. Unit 5, The Poetry of Brenda Marie Osbey, examines the poetry of Brenda Marie Osbey, exploring in particular the nexus of history and spirituality in her work. Unit 6, Black Poetry in the Aftermath of Katrina, surveys the poetry written after the storm, exploring themes of loss and resilience in poetry by Patricia Smith, Niyi Osundare, Mona Lisa Saloy, and Karisma Price. The essay also includes a comprehensive bibliography of resources for further study.

This lecture by Jessica Marie Johnson (Associate Professor, History, Johns Hopkins University) focuses on the formation of Afro-Creole culture in Louisiana during the transatlantic slave trade. The French slave trade began in the sixteenth century, but it wasn't until the eighteenth century that it became a major enterprise. The French established trading posts in Senegambia and shipped enslaved Africans to Louisiana and other colonies. Johnson discusses the process by which enslaved Africans were turned into commodities. She describes the use of the “pieza de India” as a unit of measure for enslaved people and the factors that determined their value. Johnson notes that even as the French were developing their own ideas about slavery, race, and manumission in the 18th century, these ideas were contested by enslaved Africans. Johnson tells the story of Marie Baude, a free woman of African descent who was enslaved and transported to Louisiana, whose story illustrates the complexities of race and gender in the early Atlantic world. Johnson challenges the notion that race and gender are static categories, arguing that they were formed and reformed over time, suggesting why we should not make assumptions about these categories in historical research.

This footage from the funeral procession for Bennie Pete, the leader of the Hot 8 Brass Band, is a companion to the short film, A Noble Life: Eulogy for Bennie Pete. It was shot by Noé Cugny and edited by Ted Morée. It is distributed by Neighborhood Story Project and An Open Classroom on New Orleans Culture. It was created with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Mellon Foundation, and the Division of Arts and Humanities at the University of California, Berkeley.

This collaboratively authored teaching module introduces students to New Orleans brass bands through the lens of the neighborhood spirit and close friendships that have been the foundation of musical innovation in the city. It has an introduction that asks students to consider what their generation’s music is and how it helps to define the important experiences of their lives as well as essays by Rachel Carrico on second line dance; oral histories by Matt Sakakeeny with members of the Dirty Dozen, Rebirth, and Hot 8 Brass Bands; and selections from Talk That Music Talk: Passing on Brass Band Music the Traditional Way, a book on musical knowledge and musical generations in New Orleans created by Neighborhood Story Project. The work was made possible by funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Divison of Arts and Humanities at the University of California, Berkeley.

This short film, produced by Bruce Sunpie Barnes and Rachel Breunlin and filmed by Ted Morée, is an introduction to Creole accordion music in Louisiana. It features interviews with Barnes and Leroy Etienne, as well Barnes’s accordion mentor, Clayton Sampy, who share the connections between Creole musicians in south Louisiana in the development of zydeco music. The film includes original music from Sunpie and the Louisiana Sunspots and highlights a song from a lala (dance) with Creole fiddler D’Jalma Garnier, who sings one of his own songs, “La Vi Maron,” which is subtitled in Louisiana Creole and English. The film is distributed by Neighborhood Story Project and An Open Classroom on New Orleans Culture. It was created with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Mellon Foundation, and the Division of Arts and Humanities at the University of California, Berkeley.

This teaching module explores the interconnectedness of Creole language and music, highlighting their shared origins, evolution, and cultural significance in Louisiana and the Caribbean. Accompanied by short films and audio recordings, the module includes essays that provide historical and cultural context, as well as song lyrics transcribed in Louisiana Creole and translated into English. It incorporates oral histories from Creole speakers and musicians, providing firsthand accounts of the language's importance and its role in cultural identity, as well as excerpts from Rachel Breunlin, Bruce Sunpie Barnes, and Leroy Etienne’s collaborative musical ethnography, Le Kèr Creole: Creole Compositions and Stories from Louisiana. Leroy Etienne, one of the most well-regarded drummers in south Louisiana, grew up speaking Louisiana Creole and has played music with Sunpie and the Louisiana Sunspots for 30 years.

In this short film, African Diasporic dance professor Kai Knight, who has been at the forefront of the African dance movement in New Orleans since the 1990s, takes students through a dance dedicated to Dambala, the serpent of wisdom in Haitian vodou. It begins with her dancing the song by herself in slow motion with her narration of movements, and then transitions to a live performance of the dance with Kai Knight’s Cultural Ties Dance Collective at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, as part of an honoring of the life work of Louisiana artist Tina Giraourd, who studied Haitian sequence arts in Port-au-Prince. The film showcases one of her drapo (flag) dedicated to Dambala, as well as photographs of a Dambala-Wedo ceremony at a sacred waterfall in Haiti from Sydney Byrd’s archive, courtesy of the New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic. The drums were led by Logan Schutts, who was a long-term apprentice with Damas “Fan Fan” Louis.

This lecture by Freddi Williams Evans, the author of the prizewinning book Congo Square: African Roots in New Orleans (2011), explores the history and significance of economic exchange at Congo Square and its continuation in New Orleans's cultural practices. The Code Noir of 1724 mandated Sundays and Catholic holidays as days of rest, providing enslaved people with a quasi-free day for gatherings and economic activity. Evans notes that earliest account of economic exchange at Congo Square comes from Antoine Simon Le Page du Pratz, who observed enslaved Africans buying and selling goods there on Sundays. Enslaved people sold a variety of goods, including food, drinks, crafts, and services, often supplementing their rations or earning money to purchase freedom. Women played a significant role in the markets, demonstrating business savvy and contributing to household incomes. After the end of Sunday gatherings in Congo Square, its tradition of economic exchange continued in other forms and other settings, such as dance halls and second-line parades, where vendors still sell food, drinks, and other goods.

This lecture is distributed by An Open Classroom on New Orleans Culture. It was created with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Google Education, New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts, the Department of Mass Communication at Xavier University of Louisiana, and the Division of Undergraduate Education at the University of California, Berkeley.

This essay by Lynn Abbott focuses on the life, ministry, and music of Elder Utah Smith, who was known for his high-volume, energetic electric guitar playing and his captivating preaching style. Born in Louisiana in 1906, Smith was ordained in the Church of God in Christ (COGIC) around 1923. He gained recognition for his powerful sermons, faith healing, and dynamic performances at COGIC's annual Memphis Meetings. Smith's musical journey progressed from harmonica to steel guitar and eventually to the electric guitar, which he mastered without formal training. His amplified guitar playing, combined with his charismatic stage presence, drew large and diverse crowds. Smith was known for his theatrical performances, incorporating stage props and costume designs such as his famous seraphim wings. He even used a movie camera to document his ministry and show films during his services. His signature song, "Two Wings," became an anthem, known for its apocalyptic lyrics and powerful electric guitar riffs. In 1944, Smith established a base in New Orleans, where he led revivals, radio broadcasts, and built the Two Wing Temple. He collaborated with local gospel quartets, further enhancing his appeal. In later years, Smith faced criticism for his unconventional methods and political stances. The expansion of the Calliope Projects in 1954 led to the demolition of the Two Wing Temple, forcing Smith to relocate. His later years were marked by health problems and declining influence, but his ministry left a lasting impact on gospel music and evangelism. He was a pioneer in using the electric guitar in a religious context and his innovative performance style pushed boundaries. He remains a significant figure in the history of American religious music.

This short film is shot by Percy Francois III and produced by Neighborhood Story Project with Sudan Social and Pleasure Club and Cayetano Hingle, the leader of the New Birth Brass Band. It features interviews with Sudan club members while they are working on preparations for their annual second line parade as well as archival images and film footage from The Historic New Orleans Collection of the cultural arts organization Tamborine and Fan. The film explores the creative legacies of Tamborine and Fan within Sudan as it celebrates their 40th anniversary parade. It is distributed by Neighborhood Story Project and An Open Classroom on New Orleans Culture and was created with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Mellon Foundation, and the Division of Arts and Humanities at the University of California, Berkeley.

This essay by Halle-MacKenzie Ashby, Arianna B. Browne, Gregory Smaldone, and Jessica Marie Johnson is based on a Story Map that explores the themes of gender, reproduction, and marronage in New Orleans. It primarily uses nineteenth-century fugitive slave advertisements to guide users through the experiences of enslaved women who navigated urban slavery and sought freedom. The essay offers a historical overview of marronage, explaining how enslaved individuals, both in the United States and other parts of the Americas, resisted slavery by escaping and forming communities. It explains that fugitive slave advertisements, published in newspapers by enslavers, serve as a crucial source for understanding the history of marronage. At the same time, the essay emphasizes the importance of considering gender and reproduction in the context of marronage. It discusses how the principle of matrilineal inheritance, where children inherited their enslaved status from their mothers, shaped the experiences of enslaved women. The essay analyzes a specific fugitive slave advertisement featuring a mother, Julia, and her child, Fanny, using their case to explore themes of sexual violence, racial categorization, and the challenges faced by enslaved women and mothers. The essay concludes that enslaved women's acts of marronage were not only about seeking personal freedom but also about reclaiming control over their reproductive lives and protecting their children from enslavement.

This short film, co-produced with legendary jazz drummers Herlin Riley and Joe Lastie, centers their family’s Spiritual Church in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans, and includes archival images of Mother Catherine Seal’s Temple of Innocent Blood in the Lower Ninth Ward where their grandfather learned to play the drums, as well as other images from Spiritual churches in the city by photographer Syndey Byrd, courtesy of the New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic.At the core of the film is a live recorded concert (by Jake Eckert of Fat Back Records) that Herlin and Joe hosted with us at the Marigny Opera House for All Saints Day, featuring Tonya Boyd-Cannon (vocals), Gregg Stafford (trumpet), Louis Ford (saxophone), Rickie Monie (piano), and Mark Brooks (bass).

This lecture by Freddi Williams Evans, the author of the prizewinning book Congo Square: African Roots in New Orleans (2011), explores the significance of Congo Square as a gathering place for enslaved Africans in New Orleans. Williams emphasizes how in spite of the hardships of slavery, enslaved people retained their cultural memory, expressed through music, dance, language, and rituals. Congo Square provided a space for them to preserve and practice their traditions. Although similar gatherings existed elsewhere, Congo Square's extensive documentation and longevity under French, Spanish, and American rule make it notable. People from various African regions gathered, both free and enslaved, fostering cultural exchange. African rhythms perpetuated in Congo Square influenced New Orleans music, including jazz and second-line parades. Congo Square represents a vital space for cultural preservation, resistance, and the development of unique New Orleans traditions. It highlights the resilience of African culture and its enduring impact on American society.

This lecture is distributed by An Open Classroom on New Orleans Culture. It was created with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Google Education, New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts, the Department of Mass Communication at Xavier University of Louisiana, and the Division of Undergraduate Education at the University of California, Berkeley.

This essay by Kwami Coleman (Associate Professor, Gallatin School, New York University) discusses the rise of “hot bands” in New Orleans at the beginning of the twentieth century. These bands played a pivotal role in shaping the city's vibrant music scene and its reputation as a hub for entertainment and nightlife. The term “hot music” referred to the energetic, improvisational style of music played by these bands, which was characterized by syncopation, rhythmic drive, and melodic embellishment. Hot music in New Orleans drew inspiration from a wide range of musical traditions, including West African rhythms, European marches, and American folk songs. Hot bands were known for their ability to “rag” or syncopate the time of popular songs, creating a lively and danceable feel. They also emphasized improvisation, with individual musicians showcasing their skills through solos and collective impromptu playing. Hot music’s popularity quickly spread beyond New Orleans, traveling up the Mississippi River and influencing the development of jazz and other American popular music genres. The Original Dixieland Jazz Band's 1917 recording of “Livery Stable Blues” marked a significant milestone, as it was the first commercial recording of New Orleans jazz. The essay emphasizes several influential bands famous for early recordings of hot jazz, including King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band, Jelly Roll Morton and His Red Hot Peppers, Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five and Hot Seven, and Sidney Bechet and His New Orleans Feetwarmers.

Filmed on location at the Temple of Light, Ilé de Coin Coin, a shrine in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans dedicated to the elevation of all souls, Mami Wata priestess Sula Evans explains how to build personal and collective altars that draw from West African cosmologies. The film begins with Sula Evans singing a song to Mami Wata, a lwa in the Ewe vodou tradition, and weaves in Tonya Boyd Cannon’s “Precious Lord.” This film is produced and distributed by Neighborhood Story Project and An Open Classroom on New Orleans Culture with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Mellon Foundation, and the Division of Arts and Humanities at the University of California, Berkeley.

This essay by Michael White (Rosa and Charles Keller Endowed Chair in the Humanities, Xavier University) details the origins and evolution of jazz. It emphasizes the distinctive cultural and political history of New Orleans—including its blend of French, Spanish, and African influences and its public emphasis on celebration and pleasure-seeking—created a fertile ground for the development of jazz. White discusses the varied musical traditions that existed in New Orleans in the nineteenth century, including opera, classical music, military marching bands, and the African drumming and dancing at Congo Square. White explains the impact of Reconstruction and its aftermath on jazz, noting how the black community’s struggle for freedom found expression in this new musical form, and traces the role of self-help and mutual aid organizations in supporting musical ensembles. White explores the related genres and song types that helped to shape early jazz, including ragtime, blues, hymns, and spirituals. He provides examples of how these genres contributed to the development of jazz's distinctive style and sound. White argues that jazz was not just a form of entertainment but also a powerful expression of aspirations for freedom, equality, and individual expression. The essay closes by describing accompanying listening examples performed by the Original Liberty Jazz Band, which showcase various genres and approaches within the longstanding tradition of New Orleans jazz.

This essay by Melissa A. Weber—the curator of the Hogan Archive of New Orleans Music and New Orleans Jazz in Special Collections at Tulane University Library—argues for the importance of oral history in understanding the early development of jazz music in New Orleans. It explains how the Hogan Archive began as a repository for recorded interviews with New Orleans jazz musicians and their associates that were conducted by Richard B. Allen in the late 1950s. These interviews, funded by a Ford Foundation grant, were the beginning of a collection that continued to grow in subsequent decades. The essay suggests the value of oral histories as primary sources that provide firsthand accounts of historical events and personal experiences, offering information that is not accessible by other means about the lives of musicians, their communities, and the cultural context in which jazz developed. Oral histories, moreover, whether in recorded or transcript form, capture the speaker’s voice and their unique way of communicating their experiences. This makes them a powerful tool for research and education. The essay features a few examples of interviews available in the archive, including those with Warren “Baby” Dodds, a legendary drummer who played with prominent jazz musicians like King Oliver and Louis Armstrong; Alice Williams Zeno, the mother of clarinetist George Lewis, who shares stories about slavery, Creole language, and family traditions; Peter Bocage, a Creole musician who describes the organization and process of early jazz bands; and Danny Barker, a banjo and guitar player, who was also renowned as a historian and raconteur.