Louisiana
The tradition of Mardi Gras Krewes goes back nearly two centuries. In the 1960s as the gay liberation movement began to gain steam across the country several gay Krewes of the Mardi Gras were born in New Orleans. In addition to parading, the most important event for a Mardi Gras Krewe is an annual ball, and in those early years the venues in New Orleans who were willing to rent space to the gay Krewes were African American Union Halls – the first being the Black Longshoreman’s Union Hall (ILA 1919) on South Claiburn who hosted the Krewe of Petronius. These sails commemorate this trailblazing space along with the African American Laborer’s Union Hall (LL 689) on Tchoupitoulis where the Krewe of Armeinius was welcomed to hold their balls, as well as a predominantly Italian American Disabled Army Veterans Hall in Arabi that later hosted the first balls of the Krewe of Amon Ra.