City Spends Millions on Mardi Gras, But Tourism Taxes Don’t Go to the City

By LaVonna Varnado-Brown

In a March 8, 2019 press release, two days after Fat Tuesday, Mayor Cantell expressed deep gratitude to all the departments whose efforts contributed to a successful Carnival 2019. The city spent millions to mobilize the “New Orleans Police Department, New Orleans Fire Department, New Orleans Emergency Medical Services, Department of Health, Department of Public Works, Department of Sanitation, Department of Property Management, Parking Enforcement, Parks and Parkways, Orleans Parish Communication District, and the New Orleans Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.”

Aside from whatever enjoyment the people get out off Mardi Gras, its purpose is to bring in millions in profit for the tourist industry, which pays for none of these services. The press release magnifies the fact that the city is subsidizing multiple private industries without concern for the needs of the working class residents of New Orleans. I recognize that the mobilization of these resources is needed to ensure safety for the influx of tourists and New Orleans residents. But the contradiction is that many of these resources are denied to the residents who live and work here every day. In the case of hospitality workers and service industry employees, our work generates the bulk of the revenue that they, in private board rooms, allocate as they see fit—usually away from black, brown, low income spaces.

$180 million in hotel taxes go to private non-elected commissions to boost the profits of private companies.  It does not go into the budget.   Meanwhile we have no money for infrastructure and early childhood education. This $180 million dollars worth of stolen taxes could be allocated for childcare for service industry workers during Mardi Gras while schools are closed.  This money could be used to provide healthcare, maternity leave, and pensions to service industry and hospitality workers.  This is not money that we need to letter write and ask for politely. This money belongs to the working class and has been stolen. We Demand that it be returned and used to elevate the humanity of workers locally. Doing so can only further illuminate and strengthen the city.  The time is now to educate ourselves on the things we want to see changed. Agitate others to view the contradictions that exist. Then organize for revolution. The time for change is now and can begin with you, now.

Dorothy Mae Taylor and the Fight to Desegregate Mardi Gras

by Malcolm Suber

In 1991 Councilwoman Dorothy Mae Taylor introduced a bill to investigate discrimination by Mardi Gras Krewes that were allowed to parade in the streets of New Orleans.  Ms. Taylor was a longtime civil rights activist and the first woman elected to the New Orleans city council.  She held public hearings on the impact of racial discrimination by the old line krewes which were composed exclusively of racist ruling class men in the city of New Orleans.

This inquiry touched off a firestorm of protest by the ruling class and their sycophants.  The racist rulers argued that the krewes were private clubs pursuing their freedom of association.  They also argued that they were putting on a free show for the impoverished masses and were a benefit to the city as a whole.

Councilwoman Taylor would have none of that and forced the leaders of Comus, Rex, Momus and Proteus to admit that they only considered white males from among the elites of the city to become members of their organizations.  She got them to admit that many business deals were consummated in their exclusive clubs thereby preventing otherwise qualified businesses owned by non-whites to get city business.  The uptown rulers were not about to let this Black woman question their activity.

Coucilwoman Taylor had exposed the ugly side of Carnival in New Orleans.  Her hearings brought out the racism that was on full display during Mardi Gras parades. It showed how Black people were often attacked by white racists and how Black people catering to the need of their “betters” served to reinforce the racial order in New Orleans.

By 1992 it was evident that a non-discriminatory ordinance would pass. This ordinance was weaker than the one originally proposed by Councilwoman Taylor, which would have allowed an audit of the krewes and reports on inclusion of minority firms in the business side of Mardi Gras.  Only Rex among the old line krewes would open its membership.  The others quit parading in protest.

The 1992 Mardi Gras ordinance was a step forward in the struggle of Black people for equal rights in New Orleans.  The racist reactionary forces that stepped out to defend the racist krewes are the same forces who wanted to maintain the white supremacy monuments.

Working people of New Orleans should never forget the principled stand of Dorothy Mae Taylor who earned the love and respect of all Black and progressive-minded New Orleanians.  We should honor her by putting her statue in a place of honor along a Mardi Gras route.

Parading in Inequality

By Enigma E

Mardi Gras is a Billion-dollar busine$$, but who’s benefiting from it? It’s not the Flambeaux walkers, High school marching bands or Black Mardi Gras Indians. Nor is it any of the working class people that are the lifeblood of the city and the creators of the unique culture that makes New Orleans so desirable. The people that make the big $$ during MG are the big hotel chains, advertisement industry, beer/liquor companies and police/security forces. Progress has been made in the sense we’ve went from Quadroon balls to the modern-day festiveness, but the more things change, the more they stay the same.

I must say that this Mardi Gras season I really learned a lot. It was my first go around marching with my high school’s band & performance groups. The volume of lucid drunken people that’s out in the streets of New Orleans is crazy. I always knew it was bad, but once you out hitting ‘dem streets with yo Squad and all eyes on y’all, then you really feel and take on that “Us against the world” mentality. People tell ‘ya all kind of dumb reckless shit as you diligently pace that pavement, you gotta put in your head that they just full of that liquid courage and don’t respond to the bullshit they say.

There were people that would try and cut through the band, just for their own childish giggles, there were people that would throw those dam beads and trinkets over our heads, which a few hit us, and I would then have to restrain myself from going after them as I saw our students upset by this buffoonery. There is a lot of overt racism during Mardi Gras as well, such as the Krewe of Chaos having anti-Black Lives Matter floats, Endymion handing out sambo dolls to Black kids, and Rex masking in their Klanish masks, robes and horses.

There is a lot of drunken white privilege out there too. The people entertaining and cleaning was Black & Latino, while majority of the people reveling in the festivities was white. This was especially evident as we went into the Convention Center after the Bacchus parade, for their grandiose ball. It costs thousands of dollars to ride on the floats and thousands of dollars to be a tourist down here during MG.

I did love seeing my beautiful Black folk out there and getting some daps & hugs from them. I’m just glad I was able to be out there, because I mean it when I say the Assata Shakur chant and the part about “It is OUR duty to love & protect each other”. The students work hard at their craft and I felt proud to make sure nothing happened to any of them as we marched in them streets.