Page 84 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - New Orleans

82  NE W ORLEANS AREA B Y AREA

a Congo Square
N Rampart St, between St. Peter St
and St. Philip St. Map 4 C1.
@ 5, 48, 88, 89. 7
Under the Code Noir (an edict
concerning the treatment of
slaves), slaveholders were
forbidden to work slaves on
Sunday in order to encourage
them to attend church and
become good Roman Catholics.
Such minimal amounts of
freedom allowed the slaves
of New Orleans to retain more
of their African heritage
than those in other
parts of the South.
On Sunday
afternoons, during
the 18th and early Congo Square, home of the calinda and bamboula dances
19th century,
slaves and free s Mahalia Jackson beauty shop, then a flower
people of color Theater of the store. Despite her strict
would gather in Performing Arts upbringing, she fell in love
Sidney Bechet’s Congo Square with the syncopated rhythms
statue (also known as 1419 Basin St. Map 4 C1. Tel (504) 287- of blues but never sang the
Place des Nègres), 0351. @ 48, 46, 52, 57. & 7 more bawdy songs in its
part of Armstrong Park (see p81), ∑ mahaliajacksontheater.com repertoire. Jackson was
to speak in their native African discovered in the 1930s and
tongues. They would sing and Named for the celebrated made her first recording in
dance, and perform the calinda, gospel singer Mahalia Jackson 1934. Her career took her to
an African line dance, and the (1911–72), this theater is used Carnegie Hall, the Newport
bamboula. These dances were by local and visiting dance, Jazz Festival, and other major
one of the chief origins of jazz, music, and theater companies. music venues. Jackson was
and Congo Square is thus A New Orleans native, also active in the civil rights
remem bered as one of the Jackson began her career movement and was a supporter
birthplaces of jazz music. The singing in the local church, of Martin Luther King, Jr.
infamous Marie Laveau (see p85) where her father was a pastor. The theater suffered flood
is said to have performed At the age of 16, she moved to damage after Hurricane Katrina
voodoo rituals here. Chicago and opened first a but has been restored.

The Mahalia Jackson Theater of the Performing Arts

082-083_EW_New_Orl.indd 82 05/08/16 3:49 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.6)
Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm