At the southern reach of the United States map, and about 50 percent below sea level, lies New Orleans. It’s a predominantly Black port city, surrounded by water and known for its music, food and entertainment. New Orleans’s vibrant artistic expression, collective resistance and cultural innovation are rooted in Black people’s survival within what was once the largest slave market in the country. To understand the role of slavery in the creation of America is to recognize the foundational impact New Orleans has had on the country—and the world at large. Today, alongside NOLA’s historical contributions, its Black influence can be heard in the bounce samples that propel songs to global-hit status; tasted in the widespread effort to recreate Creole cuisine; and experienced through the social freedoms made possible by Black people in New Orleans and their determination to thrive.
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