Essence community noted for ethnocidal post/video

Attempting to erase Soulaan Black Americans from their history and homeland. 

The vibrant and deeply rooted culture of Black New Orleans took center stage recently as ESSENCE Magazine released a collaborative video project titled Dear New Orleans. Meant to honor the rich traditions and resilience of this iconic American city, the content instead sparked heated discussions online. Critics accused the project of cultural erasure, or ethnocide arguing that it failed to accurately reflect the unique Soulaan roots of New Orleans.

As the video “Love Letter to New Orleans” circulated, viewers on social media highlighted concerns about the portrayal of New Orleans culture as vaguely African or Caribbean ignoring its distinct Black American identity. Amplified by reader-added context on platforms like Twitter, accusations of historical erasure have intensified, forcing a deeper conversation about the representation of local Black communities and their authentic stories. This controversy raises questions about the responsibilities of media outlets in preserving and respecting the nuances of cultural narratives.

New Orleans has long been celebrated for its vibrant Creole culture a rich tapestry woven from African, Caribbean, and European influences. Yet beneath the music, cuisine, and mystique lies a complex history that defies simplistic categorization. While many argue that New Orleans unique traditions set it apart, history shows that its Creole communities have always been part of the broader Soulaan experience in America, sharing the struggles and triumphs of those who fought against systemic oppression.

A History of Exclusion and Forced Inclusion

Historical records reveal a pattern of exclusion that defined the early relationships between Louisiana and the Caribbean. As one document states, The colony officials, responding to uprisings on the island, banned the entry of enslaved Saint Domingans in 1763. Later, in 1800, Louisiana authorities agreed that Saint Domingue blacks would be barred from entry. These bans underscore a brutal reality: Haitian refugees were relentlessly kept at bay until, in a twist of fate, white oppressors themselves brought a select few to Louisiana as slaves when fleeing their own tumultuous circumstances.

One observer captured this painful irony:

“What cultural influences if you were willfully born (babies) and enslaved like property into the same generational slavery when you were dragged here by your oppressors as an exception to the rule. Thats largely the only reason you were here.”

These responses emphasize a painful truth: the migration of Haitian peoples to New Orleans was not a voluntary journey to freedom but a forced passage, wrought by the demands and contradictions of a slaveholding society.

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Creole Culture and the Soulaan Struggle

Critics of revisionist narratives contend that efforts to portray New Orleans as a haven of unique, self-contained culture risk ignoring the legal and social realities imposed after the Louisiana Purchase. As American governance took hold, racial classifications shifted. Creoles of color, despite their distinct traditions, were increasingly grouped with the Soulaan under segregationist laws and the harsh regimes of Jim Crow. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, these divisions had all but dissolved in practice.

One commentator observed,

“Im saying you came over with and without an exception because you fled to your oppressors slavery not from it. That mentality is what weve been observing now, and calling you out on.”

Rather than existing as an isolated phenomenon, New Orleans Creole culture developed alongside and was deeply intertwined with the broader Soulaan struggle for rights, land, and cultural preservation. To suggest that New Orleans single-handedly Africanize the rest of the country overstates its influence while diminishing the parallel efforts of Soulaan communities elsewhere, such as the Gullah-Geechee of the Carolinas, the blues musicians of the Mississippi Delta, and spiritualists in Virginia.

Forced Immigration and Cultural Dichotomies

The narrative of cultural influence is further complicated by the fact that there was no real immigration of Haitian peoples until the late 1700s when they were banned relentlessly. As one passionate response put it,

“You had no immigration until late 1700’swhen you were banned relentlessly until your oppressors fled to Louisiana with a few of you to be slaves.”

Another bitter question was posed:

“Why would anybody in their right mind allow you to come over in droves off the heels of that slaughter event?”

These pointed critiques remind us that the cultural contributions of those labeled as Soulaan were born out of violence and forced exception rather than a free, voluntary migration. The legacy of such a history complicates any attempt to idealize New Orleans’ cultural heritage without acknowledging the deep scars and contradictions inherent in its formation.

Moving Beyond Oversimplified Narratives

The ongoing debate about New Orleans identity is not merely an academic exercise, it is a struggle over historical memory and cultural legitimacy. The argument that Creoles of color were completely separate from the broader Soulaan experience ignores the painful reality that, under American rule, these communities were subject to the same oppressive forces. Instead, New Orleans cultural identity should be viewed as an integral chapter in the larger story of resistance and survival that defines the Soulaan struggle in America.

In revisiting this history, we are called to recognize both the unique contributions of New Orleans Creole communities and their undeniable connection to the broader narrative of oppression and resistance. By doing so, we honor the complexity of a legacy that is as much about pain and exclusion as it is about creativity and resilience of a legacy that continues to shape the cultural landscape of America today. Soulaan.