1699
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A French nobleman and his crew of explorers conducted the first recorded Mardi Gras celebration on a small island in the Mississippi River just downstream from the site of modern New Orleans. He then continued upriver to found the site of the city of NEW ORLEANS.
1700
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In 1718, New Orleans, under French rule, celebrated pre-Lenten holidays with masked balls and parties
Late 1700s’
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Spanish rule banned street dancing & masked balls in New Orleans.
1803
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United States assumed ownership of New Orleans as part of the Louisiana Purchase. The ban continues.
1827
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Louisiana Acadians finally persuade Americans to reinstate balls. Masking on the street became legal again.
1837
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A group of costumed revelers marched in the street as the first documented "parade"
1850
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The city’s elite staged elegant Mardi Gras balls and parties and were quite a contrast to the wild partying and near rioting in the streets.
1857
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The Mistick Krewe of Comus was formed by six wealthy Orleanians. They knew that Mari Gras could be preserved with planning, organization & management of the celebrations. The group coined the term "krewe" for its secret organization, presented a themed parade with floats and costumed riders and staged a tableau ball.
1872
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The Krewe of REX formed in 1872 to welcome the Russian Grand DUKE Alexis Romanoff. Since America did not have royalty to properly welcome the Grand DUKE…the men of REX created a "KING for the day" so the DUKE could be royally received.
REX Krewe shaped many traditions. They organized the first daytime parade and decided that carnival colors would be purple, green and gold.
1877
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After a brief interruption for the Civil War, parades with political themes were held to voice patriotism.
1890
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The first Carnival marching club, the Jefferson City Buzzards, was formed.
1895
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The first black Mardi Gras organization, the Original Illinois Club, wasformed. And is still going strong.
1916
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ZULU, a black Mardi Gras organization, which had been poking informal fun at REX for almost a decade, was officially incorporated. The first KING ruled with a banana stalk scepter and a lard can crown. REX arrived at the city via steamboat, ZULU via oyster lugger.
1934
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Alla became the first group to parade on the West Bank.
1941
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The Krewe of Venus became the first parade to have all female riders. Crowds hurled refuse at the maskers on board.
1942-45
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Mardi Gras Parade cancelled during World War II
1949
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Louis Armstrong rode as KING of ZULU.
1950
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Real royalty, the DUKE and the DUCHESS of Windsor bow to mock royalty: the KING & QUEEN of Comus at the Comus Ball.
1969
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The new Krewe of BACCHUS changed Mardi Gras by naming a Hollywood celebrity, Danny Kaye KING, and launching a parade with the biggest floats ever to hit the streets of New Orleans. It was copied by other krewes.
1987
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REX resurrected the idea of Lundi Gras, an official arrival to the city on "Fat Monday", the day before Mardi Gras, (translated "Fat Tuesday" in French) which the krewes had observed from 1874 to 1917.
1992
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New Orleans enacted a city ordinance requiring all parading krewes to open their private membership. Comus, Momus & Proteus protested by canceling their parades forever. REX opened membership to blacks, as many other krewes already had done.
