Today was the last day of our two and half week Civil Rights journey. It has been an amazing trip, and we are all exhausted! But we were eager to make the most of our time in New Orleans, so we immersed ourselves in the history and culture of Black New Orleans.
After a leisurely morning, we met for lunch at Lil’ Dizzy’s, famed soul food restaurant, where we enjoyed chicken, macaroni and cheese, and bread pudding.
At Lil’ Dizzy’s we also met up with Greg Osborne, archivist and tour guide extraordinaire, who brought us to St. Louis Cemetery Number 1. Established in 1789, the cemetery consists entirely of above ground vaults and is the burial site of many prominent African Americans from the region, including Homer Plessy (of Plessy vs. Ferguson) and Ernest Morial, the city’s first black Mayor.
For our last night, we dined at Deanie’s, a local and highly recommended seafood restaurant; then it was off to Preservation Hall. Founded in 1961 to ensure the preservation of traditional New Orleans jazz, the club hosts a variety of jazz bands. We caught the New Birth Brass Band, and they played a number of traditional favorites, including ”When the Saints Go Marching In,” ”What a Wonderful World” and “Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans?” It was, as one student remarked, a perfect way to end our journey.
