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This was a time when costumes were allowed and the rigid mores of society were loosened somewhat, allowing a larger space for gay expression. JoJo Landry as Lady Godiva paraded around the streets with an abandon only possible during Carnival, and Douglas Jones, in fashionable Pierrot garb, sipped whiskey from a flask.
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Further on is Clay Shaw, costumed as Socrates with a false beard and toga, chatting with friends in the courtyard. Looking closely, one can recognize Elmo Avet, the last Queen of Yuga, in his mermaid costume with sailor attached. The future founders of gay Carnival were already something of a legend within this community, and here he captured in exciting detail the relaxed atmosphere on the sidewalks and inside Miss Dixie’s back courtyard. Jack Robinson, who lived in the French Quarter in the early 1950s and would later go on to become an important fashion photographer in New York City, began to photograph his friends as they celebrated Mardi Gras day in the French Quarter. The French Quarter came alive with the sound of these celebrations and was further colored by elaborate and surprising costumes. On Mardi Gras Day the laws against costumes and masking were waved, and this served as a call to arms to leave behind all restrictions. They enjoyed a protective environment where they could be themselves, and within this rarefied society, gay men especially thrived and were becoming more and more visible. There, everyone knew each other and recognized kindred spirits with the same sensibilities and cultural references. An important meeting place was Miss Dixie’s Bar of Music. Gay men and their friends gathered at various bars sprinkled throughout the old section of the city to gossip, drink and socialize. The early part of the decade had seen the birth of a vibrant gay community in the French Quarter. Creating their own krewe in a similar vein allowed this group to codify their grand intentions in response to the great spirit of Carnival unique to New Orleans. However, the great leap of faith that occurred at this auspicious moment was a shift from a loose-knit party to a more formalized costumed ball with a Captain, Queen, King, maids and debutantes, mimicking, and at the same time mocking, the traditional old-line krewes and their presentation of royalty. Over the years, Jones had thrown parties to celebrate Carnival and view the Krewe of Carrollton parade. A mock ball was held in ’58 at the Uptown home of Douglas Jones, located at 1120 S. The Café Lafitte in Exile is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.The first known gay Carnival krewe was the Krewe of Yuga, formed in the late 1950s. Its history is reported in the book In Exile: The History and Lore Surrounding New Orleans Gay Culture and Its Oldest Gay Bar by Frank Perez and Jeffrey Palmquist. In 2018, the bar was awarded a Gay Travel Award for Best Gay Bar by Gay. The gay community was a part of this scene and was an integral part of the early days of revitalizing the historic cityscape. Many writers and artists lived in the French Quarter, which had fallen into some decline, contributing to the bohemian and artistic scene that characterized the neighborhood following World War I. It was frequented by famous writers including author Truman Capote and playwright Tennessee Williams. The Café Lafitte bar was moved to its present location at 901 Bourbon Street 20 years later where it adapted the present name to become Café Lafitte in Exile.
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Ann Street toward the eastern part of the Quarter, which indicated which part of Bourbon Street had gay bars. Traditionally, the French Quarter had what was colloquially known as the Lavender Line on St. Much of what we know of Lafitte is lost to history, but the blacksmith shop where he once operated is now a National Historic Landmark and one of the oldest buildings in the French Quarter. Navy, Lafitte was instrumental in the American victory with General Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans, a key turning point in the War of 1812. Jean Lafitte and his men were known for smuggling and privateering in New Orleans and nearby ports. The Café Lafitte opened in 1933 at the location of what is now Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop, the purported house of 18th century pirate and local legend Jean Lafitte, which had sat unused before its conversion into a bar. Located deep in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana, the Café Lafitte in Exile bar is the self-proclaimed oldest gay bar in the United States. Historic Preservation Contacts and Resourcesīy ACHP Intern Maya Lavanier, Tulane University.