The New World, New Orleans, and Now: An Exploration of Cultural Groups in New Orleans from the 18th to 21st Century

The New World, New Orleans, and Now: An Exploration of Cultural Groups in New Orleans from the 18th to 21st Century

New Orleans’ rich culture and history has its foundation in the French colonial society of the 18^th and early 19^th century. This French city became the backdrop and unifying fabric upon which many diverse groups built and integrated their own cultures. The French belief in assimilation contributed to the blending of cultures, and the threat of Americanization after the Louisiana Purchase added to the cultural clinging to a general New Orleans culture rather than distinct subcultures. This proposal and the possibility of research rests on the extent to which this unification and blending of cultures has persisted in and influenced New Orleans society within the 21^st century. This paper suggests that the voices of these cultural groups in New Orleans have been left out of the historical narrative, and it offers a contribution to historical analysis with personal narratives of cultural groups and their identity as it exists today. It assumes that influence of the French colonial culture has persisted in New Orleans, despite the dominance of American culture and requests to explore this culture through historical study as well as first-hand experience with individuals and cultures of the city.