Congo Square

New Orleans, Louisiana

A painting depicting enslaved people dancing in Congo Square, New Orleans, Louisiana.

First known market area where African slaves could sell their wares on “free days.”

An unassuming corner of Louis Armstrong Park in New Orleans is one of the most sacred places in African-American history. Congo Square was one of the few places where enslaved could not only sell their wares but could perform traditional dances and drumming.  Located in Tremé, which is often cited as the oldest Black neighborhood in the U.S., it also served as a place for spiritual rituals and resistance against the racism and oppression in the city.  Today, Congo Square still retains its significance in Black culture.

Also in New Orleans is Rock ‘n Roll legend Fats Domino’s house who from 1956 to 1963 sold more records than anyone but Elvis Presley and the historic home Le Musee de f.p.c. which tells the story of the city’s free people of color.

A statue in Congo Square, New Orleans, Louisiana