Friends of the Cabildo NewsVolume 180, December 2016–January 2017

PIRACY AND THE OutsideILLICIT t he SLAVE law: TRADE

FRIENDS OF THE CABILDO 2016 SYMPOSIUM | FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9 & SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10 istorians have discovered large amounts of information regarding the legal slave trade and as the most important slave trading market in the United States during the Antebellum period. However, the illicit Hslave trade supported by privateers, pirates and businessmen is less understood. Despite the banning of importing slaves by the federal government in 1808, a huge market for slaves existed in . These networks provided access to cheaper slaves without documentation. Privateer Jean Lafitte and Jim Bowie are just two of the most well-known names associated with this trade network. This year’s symposium will explore the illicit slave trade and the importance of Louisiana and the Gulf South to the Atlantic Slave Trade. For a complete schedule of this year’s symposium, see page 3.

Tickets: $80 FOC Members, $90 General Admission and include both Friday and Saturday presentations. Tickets are limited. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit friendsofthecabildo.org or call the FOC office at 504.523.3939.

friendsofthecabildo.org Friends of the Cabildo Board of Directors Ruth Burke, President Tamra Carboni, Administration Charles Chamberlain, Education Robert Freeland, Membership Ariana Ganak, Fundraising Wendy Lodrig, Secretary Creole Christmas rench uarter istoric omes our Jeffery Howard, F Q H H T Treasurer December 27–29, 10 a.m.– 4 p.m. | 1850 House Museum Shop Robert Applebaum Celebrate the holidays with the Friends of Lauren Brower the Cabildo! Join us for a self-guided tour of Ella Camburnbeck five of the ’s most cherished Robert Cangelosi properties adorned in traditional Creole Jeannine Chance Christmas finery. Featured on the tour are Richard Crawford the 1850 House Museum, the Gallier House, Michael M. Davis Beauregard-Keyes House, the Historic New Marie Delaune Orleans Collection’s Williams Residence Jackie Graff and the Spring Fiesta House. Your Creole Mignonne Mary Hammel Christmas tour experience includes an Stephanie Haynes entertaining presentation of Reveillon traditions and their Creole origins at the Spring Harry Hardin Fiesta House as well as an array of delicious holiday refreshments. Tours begin at the Lary Hesdorffer 1850 House Museum Shop located at 523 St. Ann Street, on festive Jackson Square. Ann Irwin Martha Irwin Advance tickets available at friendsofthecabildo.org or 504-523-3939. Day-of tickets Nairne Frazar available at the 1850 House Museum Shop. $20 for members, $25 for non-members. Beth Landry Final tours depart at 3 p.m. Megan Layman Barry Mabry Mick McIlwain Grey Perkins Leslie Perrin Robi Robichaux Craig Schexnayder Larry Schmidt Beth Sheridan Nancy Sorenson Debbye Vosbein Tee Zimmerman

Page 2 friendsofthecabildo.org Events Second Thursday Lecture Series also the lead consultant on the Louisiana Irish Channel Tour Old U.S. Mint, 400 Esplanade Ave. State Museum’s project to put its French Saturday, January 21 | 10 a.m. Superior Council and Spanish Judicial 6 p.m.–8 p.m. Faubourg St. Mary Tour Free and open to the public. Records online. While his passion is poring over and translating the French and Saturday, January 14 | 10 a.m. Spanish manuscripts of colonial Louisiana, Thursday, December 8 Lower Garden District Tour his primary responsibility these days is Sunday, January 8 | 10 a.m. Archivist Howard Margot helping archives to “go digital.” Howard Margot South Market District Tour is a native and Thursday, January 12 Saturday, December 3 | 10 a.m. tenth-generation Keith M. Plessy Treme History Tour New Orleanian, Check friendsofthecabildo.org for more and an alumnus Sunday, December 18 | 10 a.m. Creole Christmas information. Saturday, January 7 | 10 a.m. French Quarter Historic Homes Tour of the University For more information, contact the of New Orleans, FOC Concert Series Louisiana State FOC office at 504.523.3939 or rachel@ Old U.S. Mint, University, friendsofthecabildo.org. 400 Esplanade Ave. and Tulane Cultural & Neighborhood University, 7 p.m., doors open at 6:30 p.m. where he earned a master’s degree in Walking Tours January 20: Kenny Neal French literature and linguistics; he also See pages 6 & 7 for details. March 10: Zachary Richard attended the École des Beaux-Arts in New Orleans Music History Tour Created in 2013, the Friends of the Nîmes and the Institute of Political Studies Saturday, December 17 | 10 a.m. Cabildo Concert Series has brought in Paris. Since 2001, he has been working Saturday, January 28 | 10 a.m. together some of the best musicians from as an archivist, first at the New Orleans New Orleans and Louisiana to perform Notarial Archives and since 2006 at The Creole Neighborhoods Tour and archive their music for the Louisiana Historic New Orleans Collection, where Wednesday, December 7 | 10:30 a.m. State Museum’s Music Collection. Join he is also a curator of several of THNOC’s Wednesday, January 11 | 10:30a.m. us for a unique musical experience at the online databases, including the Vieux Tuesday, January 31 | 10:30 a.m. intimate 150-seat, state of the art Old Carré Survey and Surrey Calendar. He is U.S. Mint 3rd Floor Performance Hall.

2016 FRIENDS OF THE CABILDO SYMPOSIUM SCHEDULE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9 • OLD U.S. MINT 6:30 P.M. Keynote Speaker: William C. Davis, author of “The Pirates Laffite: The Treacherous World of the Corsairs of the Gulf,” will speak on Privateers, Slavery and the Enterprise of the Brothers Laffite 7:15 P.M. Opening Reception

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10 • OLD U.S. MINT 9:00 A.M. Registration 9:30 A.M. Symposium introduction by Dr. Charles Chamberlain 9:45 A.M. Dr. Kevin Harrell, The Shadowy Voyage: The Story of the Clotilda, America’s Last Slave Ship 11 A.M. Dr. Robert Paquette, That Inhuman Traffic: Jefferson, Louisiana, and the Ending of the Slave Trade and Slavery in the United States NOON Lunch on your own 1:15 P.M. Erin Greenwald, Caught Between Empires: The Legal Status of ‘Créoles de St. Domingue’ Claimed as Property in Louisiana, 1794-1810 2:30 P.M. Dr. Randy Sparks, The Tragic Voyages of the Brig Uncas: New Orleans and the Illegal Slave Trade

facebook.com/friendsofthecabildo • twitter.com/cabildofriends • instagram.com/friendsofthecabildo Page 3 Recommended News Reading Recommended Reading Louisiana State Museum features great reads available at the 1850 names interim director House Museum Shop Timothy Chester, the “Famille Vve Paris neé LSM’s newly appointed Laveau: The Tomb of interim director, stands Marie Laveau in St. beside a captain’s Louis Cemetery No. 1,” costume from the by Carolyn Morrow Long Krewe of Proteus. The ninth captain of Any guide that conducts tours of St. Louis Proteus — the only Cemetery #1 absolutely should own this book. person who ever wore I’d also highly recommended for any French this costume — did Quarter guides. so annually during The book is more-or-less a companion to his reign of nearly 25 Long’s larger book on Marie Laveau, “A years. The costume New Orleans Voudou Priestess: The Legend is on display at the and Reality of Marie Laveau,” which is also Presbytere’s exhibit excellent. It has all of the elements that I love entitled “Mardi Gras: about her work —­ a lucid, readable prose style It’s Carnival Time in built on meticulous research. Plus, this is my Louisiana.” (Photo favorite kind of book for both tour guides and by Mark J. Sindler/ casual readers — concise. In shorter books like Louisiana State this, the information is by necessity lean and Museum) delivered in such a way that it translates easily for the stories that guides need to tell. For the The Louisiana State Museum is a member of The Museum Group, a more casual reader, it’s just enough information and the Friends of the Cabildo are national consortium of senior museum to get a basic understanding of the subject excited to announce our new interim consultants. without making the eyes glaze over. director. Lieutenant Governor Billy His experience includes serving for 18 The focus of the book is the tomb, but Long Nungesser, upon the recommendation years as Director and CEO of the Grand starts with a background on Laveau herself and of the Louisiana State Museum board Rapids Public Museum, where he was about voudou in general. Her tomb is the major of directors, has appointed Timothy responsible for all aspects of operations draw in St. Louis Cemetery #1. It has been the J. Chester as the interim director of and saw the institution through a period victim of extensive vandalism and continues the Louisiana State Museum, effective of significant growth and expansion, to be the subject of fabrications too numerous immediately. Chester will oversee the including the planning, fundraising and to track. Long unravels much of that as she day-to-day operations of the system’s construction of the $42 million Van covers the tomb, its history and ownership, nine museums while the Museum’s Andel Museum Center. detailing who is buried there and any known board of directors undertakes a search During his tenure, he oversaw the relationship to the Laveau-Glapion family. for a new director. completion of a $20 million collections She also discusses another tomb and wall Chester is the principal of Timothy research and storage facility and vault owned by the family and debunks the J. Chester & Associates, LLC, a national finalized plans for the museum’s association with Laveau of two other defaced consulting firm providing institutional transition to governance by a single tombs in the cemetery. Long even covers the assessment, senior staff search nonprofit board with a $40 million origins of the notorious triple-X markings. services, strategic planning, project endowment fund. Prior experience planning, grant writing, exhibition includes serving as assistant director of I’ll read almost any book about New Orleans, planning and development services to the Grand Rapids Public Museum and but purchase only a fraction of those that I museums, colleges and universities and associate director for collections at the read. This one’s on the short list. nonprofit cultural organizations. He Louisiana State Museum. —Dave Thomas

Page 4 friendsofthecabildo.org 1850 House Your Guide to Holiday Shopping! For unique Louisiana-themed gifts, stop by the 1850 House Museum Shop on Jackson Square. FOC members, take advantage of your 15% discount. Open daily 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Find great holiday gifts for everyone from coworkers to kids to family and friends! Feel free to ask any of our knowledgeable staff at the 1850 House Shop for advice on finding your ideal selections. Jewelry by Julie Vos New York-based designer Julie Vos is the woman behind her namesake brand. Handcrafted in 24-karat gold over brass, each piece expresses a sophistication that is classically inspired, William Spratling Silver yet thoroughly modern, and designed Designer William Spratling, known as the founder of the modern to be as comfortable Mexican Silver movement, boldly combined Art Deco and as it is beautiful. Pre-Columbian motifs in jewelry and tableware design, which are still handmade from the Spratling estate in Taxco el Viejo, “Jenny Giraffe Guerrero, Mexico. In 1921, he was offered a position at Tulane Discovers Papa University’s School of Architecture. At the same time, he was an Noel” | $16.99 active participant in the Arts & Crafts Club and taught in the New Orleans Art School. “Cajun Night Before Christmas” Local artist | $20.00 Jax Frey French Quarter & New Orleans Mugs | $13.95 Watercolor holiday cards Handcast gold bee | $5.50 each with freshwater pearl necklace | $42.00 (also available in silver)

New Orleans votive candles | $2.95 each

New Orleans Christmas Music (various artist) | $15.95 Kermit Ruffins “Have A Crazy Cool Christmas!” | $17.95 facebook.com/friendsofthecabildo • twitter.com/cabildofriends • instagram.com/friendsofthecabildo Page 5 Tours Neighborhoods and Cultures

Put on your best walking shoes, bring a bottle of water and a good camera, and join us Treme History Creole Neighborhoods Irish Channel for an FOC special Sunday, December 18 | 10 a.m. (Formerly Marigny/Esplanade) Saturday, January 21 | 10 a.m. walking tour! Saturday, January 7 | 10 a.m. Wednesday, December 7 | 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, January 11 | 10:30 a.m. Most New Orleanians have enjoyed Tickets are limited The Friends of the Cabildo Tuesday, January 31 | 10:30 a.m. a sloppy roast beef poboy at a to 15 spots for each walking tour of Treme provides legendary Irish bar off Magazine a rich, detailed perspective on Did you know that New Orleans Street, or caught cabbages, potatoes tour, and no tickets one of the city’s oldest and most used to have streets named and carrots at the annual St. are sold the day of storied neighborhoods. Originally “Love,” “Craps,” and “Good Patrick’s Day Parade. But not known as “back of town,” the Children?” These fanciful names everyone has stopped to consider the tour. Don’t miss old Creole feel of Treme makes it were designated by the colorful the history of the immigrant out. Reservations easy to imagine the early 1800s Bernard de Marigny when he populations who lived and worked multicultural community formed subdivided his plantation in the near the docks along the are required. by immigrants, free people of early 1800s to form the city’s first Mississippi River, their culture and color, and refugees from Saint- primarily residential subdivision, traditions forming the foundation To purchase tickets online Domingue. An important center Faubourg Marigny. Join us as of the area we now know as the visit friendsofthecabildo. of the city’s African-American we explore this fascinating area Irish Channel. The Friends of the org or call the FOC office and Creole culture, Treme is the adjacent to the French Quarter. Cabildo’s Irish Channel Tour at 504.523.3939. cherished home of fourth and fifth Listed on the National Register explores this diverse home of Members $20 generation residents who strive to of Historic Places, and a city- working class immigrants, natives Non-members $25 maintain the area’s cultural and designated historic district, and free people of color. From social traditions. We will trace the Faubourg Marigny has many famous churches to Irish bars, origin and development of Treme well-preserved nineteenth century unique architecture, famous through the amazing nineteenth Creole cottages, a style popular historic figures and notable century architecture (including with immigrants from Saint- festivals, the Irish Channel Tour Creole cottages, townhouses, and Domingue, Creoles and free reveals the many facets of this shotgun houses), geography, and people of color who flocked to neighborhood beloved by locals urban influences dating from the the new faubourg. We will also and visitors alike. subdivision of this land by Claude tour Esplanade Avenue, originally Treme in the 1790s to the present the site of fortifications built by Meeting Location: day. the French and Spanish colonial St. Vincent’s Guest House governments, was transformed (1507 ) Meeting Location: Basin Street after the Louisiana Purchase to a Station (501 Basin Street) grand European-style boulevard with palatial townhouses and mansions flanking a wide neutral ground with stately live oaks. Meeting Location: Old U.S. Mint (Esplanade Avenue Gate)

Page 6 friendsofthecabildo.org Tours Neighborhoods and Cultures

Faubourg St. Mary New Orleans Music History Lower Garden District South Market District Saturday, January 14 | 10 a.m. Saturday, December 17 | 10 a.m. Sunday, January 8 | 10 a.m. Saturday, December 3 | 10 a.m. Saturday, January 28 | 10 a.m. Walking along the busy Nineteenth century residential A booming area of concrete sidewalks of the When someone says “history life in New Orleans comes revitalization at the intersection Central Business District of New Orleans,” do you alive through the Friends of of the Central Business District, today, it is difficult to imagine immediately think “history of the Cabildo Lower Garden Medical District, and the that the streets now shaded by jazz?” The FOC’s New Orleans District Tour! The district’s sports/entertainment corridor skyscrapers were originally part Music History tour will excite extensive collection of 1800s of downtown, the South Market of Belair, the plantation of city both aficionados and novices residences—primarily side hall, District is experiencing a founder Bienville—part of his alike, exploring locations that double-galleried homes in the renaissance placing it squarely 1719 land grant which stretched have defined the New Orleans Greek Revival and Italianate in the up-and-coming areas to the present-day Jefferson music scene for generations. styles—will capture your of the city. But what was the Parish line. The Friends of Walk in the footsteps of Louis imagination with both the historical significance of South the Cabildo Faubourg St. Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, romance and realities of life in Market before the construction Mary walking tour reveals the George Lewis, and Danny these grand homes in the age projects? What are the stories history behind the present day Barker to venues including before modern conveniences. behind the buildings being commercial district, from the Preservation Hall and the Palm Bounded by the Mississippi redeveloped as apartments, plantation beginnings through Court Jazz Club. Understanding River Bridge, the Mississippi condominiums, hotels, and the explosive American growth the music of New Orleans River, Jackson Avenue, and restaurants? Join the Friends during the peak years from begins with experiencing its St. Charles Avenue, the Lower of the Cabildo as we examine 1830–1860, to the present day. birthplace. Join us for this Garden District was developed the fascinating mix of adaptive Marvel at historic buildings on unique and popular tour! as six different faubourgs, reuse, historic preservation, Lafayette Square, St. Charles and it is known for its many and new construction in the Avenue, Julia Street, , Meeting Location: Old U.S. irregularly shaped parks. You “Old CBD.” This unique tour and more! This tour provides Mint Barracks Street Gate will gain a new understanding of rapidly transforming South a historic backdrop for a new (across from Louisiana Pizza of the history and culture of Market will provide a snapshot appreciation of the American Kitchen) the area through a review of its of techniques used to resurrect Sector. architecture, geography, and this district while preserving its famous residents. historic character. Meeting Location: World War II Museum Main Entrance (945 Meeting Location: Muses Statue Meeting Location: Rouses Magazine Street) at Prytania and Terpsichore parking lot (corner of O’Keefe Streets and Girod)

facebook.com/friendsofthecabildo • twitter.com/cabildofriends Page 7 Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID New Orleans, LA Permit No. 198

701 Chartres Street New Orleans, LA 70116 p 504.523.3939 f 504.524.9130 friendsofthecabildo.org The 1850 House 523 St. Ann Street New Orleans, LA 70116 p 504.524.9118

FRIENDS OF THE CABILDO CALENDAR OF EVENTS

DECEMBER 2016 JANUARY 2017 1 Member Holiday Party 7 Treme History Tour holiday gatherings 3 South Market District Tour 8 Lower Garden District Tour Join the Friends of the Cabildo for 7 Creole Neighborhoods Tour 11 Creole Neighborhoods Tour our Annual Member Holiday Party! 8 Second Thursday Lecture: 12 Second Thursday Lecture: On Thursday, December 1 from 4:30 p.m.–7:30 Historic New Orleans Collection Keith Plessy p.m., the FOC is hosting a holiday open house Archivist Howard Margot 14 Faubourg St. Mary Tour in the 1850 House Courtyard. Drop by for 9 Symposium 2016 | Day 1: 20 FOC Concert Series: Kenny Neal some holiday cheer (holiday cocktails, eggnog Outside the Law: Piracy and the & food), and start your shopping early. If you’re Illicit Slave Trade in Louisiana 28 New Orleans Music History Tour an FOC member, you can take advantage of 10 Symposium 2016 | Day 2: 31 Creole Neighborhoods Tour your 15% member discount! Outside the Law: Piracy and the FEBRUARY 2017 Illicit Slave Trade in Louisiana 4 Rex Den Showing Lunch with Friends This year’s Walking 17 New Orleans Music History Tour Tour Guide and Volunteer Holiday Luncheon 13 Hidden Treasures: will be held Monday, December 12 at Ralph’s 18 Treme History Tour Carnival Edition on the Park, 900 City Park Ave. The cost is 27 Creole Christmas Home Tours 16 Hidden Treasures: $30 per person, including tax and tip. Please 28 Creole Christmas Home Tours Carnival Edition RSVP by December 5 via email to rachel@ friendsofthecabildo.org or call the FOC office 29 Creole Christmas Home Tours MARCH 2017 at 504.523.3939. 10 FOC Concert Series: Zachary Richard Hope to see you there!

For more information on these events, visit friendsofthecabildo.org or call the FOC office at 504.523.3939. Follow us on social media at: facebook.com/friendsofthecabildo • twitter.com/cabildofriends • instagram.com/friendsofthecabildo