Description

The stated mission of The New Orleans African American Museum is "to preserve, interpret and promote the African American cultural heritage of New Orleans, with a particular emphasis on the Treme community."

Its location in Treme, just north of the French Quarter, is particularly ideal for that purpose, as Treme is considered the United States' oldest neighborhood of "free people of color" and thus the oldest surviving black community in the country. That history has helped shape some of New Orleans' most unique cultural legacies, including jazz music, second line parades and the Mardi Gras Indians, which are just some of the reasons why the area continues to capture the imagination and why people like David Simon celebrate it in shows such as HBO's "Treme."

The New Orleans African American Museum itself is housed in Treme Villa, a lovely Creole villa built in 1828, which still features many of its original decorative elements and which encompasses five restored buildings, three courtyards, gardens, a gazebo and more, also makes it a great venue for weddings and other small events.

It's best to call ahead to see what exhibits are on display as they change on a regular basis. One centerpiece of the New Orleans African American Museum's permanent collection is Louisiana-Congo: The Bertrand Donation, which consists of African beadwork, costumes, masks, textiles, musical instruments and divination objects. It is a 70-piece collection of original African artwork from the Democratic Republic of Congo and is considered particularly interesting because it demonstrates the similarities between life in the Congo and the folk culture of Louisiana.

Groups should seriously consider taking the museum's Treme bus tour (which is affiliated with the city's Preservation Resource Center) in order to further explore the historic area, which features the ironwork, plastering, carpentry and masonry that were the specialty of the African American craftsmen who lived in the area. An important stop is at Congo Square where slaves were allowed to gather on Sundays and celebrate with food, dance and music, a tradition which helped preserve those cultural legacies. Several famous African Americans hail from Treme, include Mother Henriette Delille, founder of the Sisters of the Holy Family; Armand Lanusse and the Les Cenelles poets, who published the first poetry by African Americans in 1945; and Homer Plessy of the famous Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Court case. It's also the place where people such as Louis Armstrong and Sidney Bechet first played jazz, considered America's only original art form.