USA Guide
Louisiana
Tremé
Tremé, the historic African-American neighbourhood where jazz was developed in the bordellos of Storyville – long since gone – is named for Claude Tremé, a free black hatmaker who in the nineteenth century owned a plantation on what is now St Claude Street. In the 1800s this was a prosperous area, its shops, businesses, and homes owned and frequented by New Orleans's significant – and unique – free black population, but by the late twentieth century, blighted by neglect and crime, Tremé became a no-go area. Despite this, its rich tradition of jazz funerals, music, and street parades continued, and the turn of the millennium saw signs of gentrification. Though Tremé was largely unscathed by flooding, Katrina nonetheless dealt a severe blow to this poor but culturally rich neighbourhood, and many of its houses remain in bad shape.
One way to see the best of Tremé is to make a beeline for the fascinating Backstreet Cultural Museum, in an old funeral parlor at 1116 St Claude St (Tues– Sat 10am–5pm; $8; www.backstreetmuseum.org). This labor of love celebrates local street culture, including jazz funerals and the traditions of the Mardi Gras Indians; it also hosts excellent music events, and acts as a social hub during the city's many festivals.
Directly across the road, St Augustine's Church, 1210 Governor Nicholls St, is the earliest African-American church in the nation, active since 1842. Of crucial significance to the local black community, St Augustine's welcomes tourists to its occasional jazz masses and fundraising events. The spruce, light interior is well worth a look, with its stained-glass windows portraying French saints, and its flags printed with affirmations (Unity, Creativity, Self-Determination, Purpose) in English and Swahili. In the garden, the Tomb of the Unknown Slave, a toppled metal cross entwined with balls-and-chains and shackles, honors all African and Native American slaves buried in unmarked graves.
Opening time: Daily
Price: Free