Courtesy of Xavier University of Louisiana
Xavier University of Louisiana Assistant Professor of Mass Communication Monica Pierre hosted the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) New Orleans’ virtual event “Historical Significance of New Orleans’ Black Mardi Gras: A Celebration of Culture & Community celebrating Black Mardi Gras.” The pre-recorded videos were part of a month-long tribute of AARP Louisiana’s to Black History Month and were streamed ahead of “Fat Tuesday,” or Mardi Gras Day, on March 1.
“It was an immediate ‘yes’ when AARP asked me to conduct a series of interviews on the Black Mardi Gras experience,” said Pierre. “I went into the project feeling I knew a lot but quickly learned so much about the richness, resilience and relevance of the krewes, walking groups, traditions and costumes.” Each day, registered participants of the virtual event received a new link to one of the four episodes. Pierre, an Emmy award-winning journalist and broadcaster, kicked off every segment with an interview with Alton Osborne, brother of writer and filmmaker Royce Osborne, discussing the history of New Orleans’ Black Mardi Gras and Royce’s film “All on Mardi Gras Day.” Linedda McIver, AARP Louisiana’s multicultural outreach director, introduced each episode.
Pierre also interviewed representatives from Black carnival krewes, walking and dance groups, culture bearers and pageantry costume makers for the productions. Deeply enmeshed in the history of the city and carnival, Black Mardi Gras krewes are pivotal components of the rhythms, costumes and cultural expressions that embody the excitement, music and beauty of New Orleans Mardi Gras.
The first episode, which went live at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, February 21, included Pierre’s conversations with President of the Krewe of Zulu Elroy James and Lisa R. Diggs, vice-president & founding member of the Mystic Krewe of Femme Fatale. Part two featured NOMTOC’s President Jim Henderson and the Captain of the Krewe of Athena, Dr. Taisha Williams-Payne.
The third segment, “Mardi Gras Culture Bearers and Walking Groups,” included an interview with Xavier alumna Vashni Korin (‘16), producer of the Mardi Gras Baby Dolls documentary “You Can’t Stop Spirit.” Other guests in part three included Cherice Harrison-Nelson of the Maroon Society and Chief of the Northside Skull & Bones Gang Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes.
“I was introduced to the Baby Dolls in a documentary film-making class my senior year [at Xavier] and through Dr. Kim Vaz-Deville and Dr. Tia Smith, who mentored me and who I studied under,” Korin stated in her interview with Pierre. Korin explained how the origin and story of the Baby Dolls were incredibly inspiring to her. “They were definitely part of a moment in history- they emerged during the Jim Crow era, in the early 19th century. This was a time where Black people weren’t able to participate in Mardi Gras, so they broke away and created their own thing.”
The last segment celebrated the iconic costumes and fashions of Black Mardi Gras. Pierre interviewed costume designer Laron Nelson, who has designed wardrobes and outfits for Black Mardi Gras Krewes and walking clubs for the past 12 years.
