One part of the Backstreet Cultural Museum is the front section of a home (past funeral parlor) that has been converted to house a collection of artifacts from Jazz Funerals, Mardi Gras Parades, Second Lines, and the historic citizens of New Orleans. The other part of the museum is a repository of knowledge that lives within and on its walls and with its executive director, Sylvester Francis. We visited the Museum later on a rainy day and were treated to a tour of the collection, a absolute must as it brings the rich artifacts of these performances to life. Admission is $8, perhaps a bit steep for the collection itself, but with the tour, very reasonable. If you want to participate in a second line ask the Director for a copy of the upcoming route schedule.
Through the lower ninth ward
The Garden of Wishes
See Me For Who I Am
Ghost sign
Streetcar sights
A little bit of everything
Colonel Short's Villa
RIP, Melvin
It thrills me with the reminder of why I do what I do--and infuriates me with the reminder that I'll never be able to do it completely.