Historic Importance of Religion in the City

·       New Orleans stems from French and Spanish roots. The African community also came to New Orleans after the abolition of slavery, thus allowing the three cultures to blend together in a sense to allow religious freedom among the city. With the races coming together to allow separation from segregation that was running rampant throughout the country, it gave room for the African people to hang tight to their culture, including their religion.

·       New Orleans was a gateway for all religions, where all cultures and customs intertwined. Since its founding in 1718, the city has developed a very unique, personalized religious background.

·       The French, Indians, Spanish, and African religions – though came together – were still kept separated by villages for each culture. This allowed each group to have their own space to create a personalized village for their customs. This set of 66 squares is what we now know as the French Quarter.

·       Though each culture was separated, the city remained focused on the French culture, incorporating Catholic traditions and leaving prints to be in the French language and schools to be taught in French as well.

·       New Orleans contained the largest and longest running slave trade market in the U.S.

·       When slaves were brought to the city, it was required for them to become Catholic. Because these slaves were baptized, it meant that they were allowed Sundays off from working as well as holy days.

·       On these days off, the slaves had a choice of what they could do for the day until the cannon was shot into the night sky, informing slaves to return to their masters immediately. Many slaves used these days to work so they can earn some money.

·        Haunted mansion in NOLA where slaves were tortured and killed, visited on the ghost tour

 

With the amount of work they performed over time, slaves were able to accustom enough cash to be able to buy their freedom. With this, they were then called free people of color and could live out life in any way they wanted.

·       Without the slaves being required to be baptized Catholic, they would probably not have any time away from slave labor. They would not have free time. They would not be able to get out and display their worth. Without this religious requirement, there would not be such advancements for, and not limited to, the African American race.

Information provided by Autumn Thomte

Works Cited

The People and Culture of New Orleans. New Orleans Official Guide. http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/history/people.html. Accessed January 2, 2017.

Multicultural History. New Orleans Official Guide. http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/multicultural/multiculturalhistory/. Accessed January 2, 2017.