All on a Mardi Gras Day: Episodes in the History of New Orleans Carnival

by Reid Mitchell

With this colorful study, Reid Mitchell takes us to Mardi Gras--to a yearly ritual that sweeps the richly multicultural city of New Orleans into a frenzy of parades, pageantry, dance, drunkenness, music, sexual display, and social and political bombast. In All on a Mardi Gras Day Mitchell tells us some of the most intriguing stories of Carnival since 1804. Woven into his narrative are observations of the meaning and messages of Mardi Gras--themes of unity, exclusion, and elitism course through these tales as they do through the Crescent City. Moving through the decades, Mitchell describes the city's diverse cultures coming together to compete in Carnival performances. We observe powerful social clubs, or krewes, designing their elaborate parade displays and extravagant parties; Creoles and Americans in conflict over whose dances belong in the ballroom; enslaved Africans and African Americans preserving a sense of their heritage in processions and dances; white supremacists battling Reconstruction; working-class blacks creating the flamboyant Krewe of Zulu; the birth and reign of jazz; the gay community holding lavish balls; and of course tourists purchasing an authentic experience according to the dictates of our commercial culture. Interracial friction, nativism, Jim Crow separatism, the hippie movement--Mitchell illuminates the expression of these and other American themes in events ranging from the 1901 formation of the anti-prohibitionist Carrie Nation Club to the controversial 1991 ordinance desegregating Carnival parade krewes. Through the conflicts, Mitchell asserts, "I see in Mardi Gras much what I hear in a really good jazz band: a model for the just society, the joyous community, the heavenly city...A model for community where individual expression is the basis for social harmony and where continuity is the basis for creativity." All on a Mardi Gras Day journeys into a world where hope persists for a rare balance between diversity and unity.

Genres: History

264 pages, Hardcover

First published February 28, 1995

Reviews

[Redsteve · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating book with a lot of information about the social evolution of Carnival in New Orleans, but I do have to admit that the author manages to suck most of the joy out of Mardi Gras. In the introduction, Mitchell mentions that, after reading an earlier draft of this book, a friend asked him “What do you like about Carnival?” After reading this, one really wants to pick up Tallant or Saxon (despite their period racial bias) just to seek out an author who ENJOYS Carnival. That being said, AoaMGD is an interesting read and (allowing for the focus) not terribly dry; however, the focus IS pretty narrow, specifically addressing social and political issues involved in the Mardi Gras of the 19th and 20th Centuries, both locally, and how the various organizations wished to be portrayed to the country at large. Also focus is also definitely on the parading and ball-throwing organizations with very little space devoted to the walking Krewes (I don't think that he even mentions the Baby Dolls) except the Indians or issues of conflict with parades or their marching bands. He also completely skipped any mention of the AIDS epidemic that decimated the Gay Krewes, and, even though this book was published in 1999, only discusses the 1991 City Council ordinance attempting to integrate the Krewes in the epilogue. I'd give this a low 4.

[Maryann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is very much a history of events in New Orlean's Carnival/Mardi Gras celebrations, much of it from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Much of the history that is related was new to me and that, I appreciate. Overall, however, the writing is a bit dry and needs a little more New Orleans spirit.

[Graham Oliver · Rating 2 out of 5]

Way to take a cool festival and make a boring book out of it Reid Mitchell.

More seriously - Way, way, way too repetitive. Draws out tiny anecdotes into full blown discussions that they don't merit. Blahdy blah.

[Traci Rai · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book made an exciting holiday really really dull.