BLACK HISTORY

Why Black People Celebrate Mardi Gras The Way We Do

The hidden history of Mardi Gras, from a Black perspective

Dr. Allison Wiltz
Momentum
Published in
6 min readFeb 19, 2023

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AI-generated photo of Black woman wearing Mardi Gras mask | photo created by author using CANVA

After attending two Mardi Gras balls this carnival season, I realized that not many people outside of New Orleans understand the history of the carnival season or the social significance of such events for Black people. From the outside looking in, Mardi Gras is just a big egalitarian party where people can eat and drink freely and catch some good throws like beads, shoes, purses, and coconuts. Over a million people visit New Orleans each year for Fat Tuesday. But for locals, the season means so much more. Allow me to explain.

When Mardi Gras began in 1857, the celebration was a whites-only affair. The Mistick Krewe of Comus, the first parade to ever hit the streets of New Orleans, forbade Black people from attending their annual gala or enjoying the public festivities. "All gatherings by slaves and free men of color were prohibited." So, even though the city's secret societies, known as Krewes, hosted balls and parades from King's Day to Shrove Tuesday since before the Civil War, who could attend these soirees has always been a controversial topic.

Did you know Krewes maintained racially segregated organizations until a city ordinance passed in 1992? White-run…

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Momentum
Momentum

Published in Momentum

Momentum is a blog that captures and reflects the moment we find ourselves in, one where rampant anti-Black racism is leading to violence, trauma, protest, reflection, sorrow, and more. Momentum doesn’t look away when the news cycle shifts.

Dr. Allison Wiltz
Dr. Allison Wiltz

Written by Dr. Allison Wiltz

Black womanist scholar with a PhD from New Orleans, LA with bylines in Oprah Daily, Momentum, ZORA, Cultured. #WEOC Founder