February 24, 2025
Generally speaking, when Economy Hall is mentioned in conversation, it’s typically regarding the lively, crowd-filled stage nestled within the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival that radiates electric sounds of jazz, blues, brass and other distinctly Crescent City musical notes. However, the original Economy Hall, which dates back to 1857, not only had roots in music but also played a vital role in shaping the city’s cultural legacy. Situated within the historically significant Treme neighborhood (located just outside of the French Quarter), the structure served as headquarters to the Société d’Economie et d’Assistance Mutuelle, a benevolent organization established by free men of African descent in New Orleans. The iconic gathering place became the epicenter for citizens of diverse backgrounds to connect and foster social, cultural and musical life in the city, ultimately setting the stage for the birth of jazz.
Take a peek into the illustrious building’s intricate and intriguing past with the New Orleans Jazz Museum’s exciting new exhibit, Economy Hall: The Hidden History of A Free Black Brotherhood, a captivating study of one of New Orleans’ most significant cultural institutions. The exhibition, which opened this past February, invites music and history enthusiasts to delve into the rich history of Economy Hall and its instrumental role in molding the city’s cultural and artistic heritage.
“Economy Hall was more than a building—it’s a symbol of resilience, creativity, and the power of community," explains Greg Lambousy, Director of the New Orleans Jazz Museum. "This exhibit sheds light on a vital chapter of New Orleans history, revealing how the connections forged within its walls continue to influence our city’s culture today," he adds.
The detailed exhibit showcases rare photographs, artifacts and in-depth analysis from Fatima Shaik, author of Economy Hall: The Hidden History of a Free Black Brotherhood, and curator David Kunian. Enjoy unprecedented insight into the untold stories of Economy Hall over its 108-year history, as well as the early players from Kid Ory and King Oliver to Buddy Bolden and Louis Armstrong.
It was trailblazing cornet player Buddy Bolden who ushered in the initial sounds of jazz around 1900 while performing during dances held at Economy Hall. Later in 1912, trombonist Kid Ory played the roles of both bandleader and dance promoter, becoming one of the first to charge the public to attend his performances. In addition to its undeniable impact on jazz, the Société hosted several other cultural events at Economy Hall, including theater and opera performances. According to Shaik, the Société also “passed a resolution to parade through the streets en masse for every occasion—from celebrations to funerals,” giving rise to the inauguration of second line parades and jazz funerals, which today remain a defining cultural element of New Orleans.
“Economy Hall set the stage for jazz, America's classical music, precisely because the building opened in 1857 with a concert by the free colored philharmonic and welcomed every new musical form from that year until the building's destruction in 1963,” explains Shaik, a New Orleans native, professor, and journalist, who spent two decades reading 24 recovered journals of the Economie that were nearly lost forever. Upon being ravaged by Hurricane Betsy in 1965, the Economy Hall building was demolished, and the majority of its contents were headed to the dump. Luckily, a friend of Mohamed Shaik (Fatima’s father) had second thoughts and asked him to rescue and preserve some of the records. “Twenty-four books on a dump truck on the way to the garbage. And he rescued them and put them in the closet and they were there for about 50 years," she adds. Upon discovering the salvaged books, Shaik combed through the 3,000 pages, all handwritten in French, which uncovered the most prosperous Black community in the South prior to the Civil War: the Société d’Economie et d’Assistance Mutuelle.
Shaik unearthed hidden tidbits of history and treasured stories relating to the Société itself, as well as the legendary building it called home. “People experienced opera, brass bands, classical European and popular American songs, spirituals, gospel, blues and 19th- and 20th-century jazz composed and played by members of their local community and international guests,” she states. Over the same 100 years, the hall hosted some of the earliest integrated political meetings, voter registration, union organizing, self-help and community service groups, and was the launching pad for equal rights demonstrations. Economy Hall elevated the importance of the individual no matter his caste or race and incubated jazz, a music that allows every instrument a voice.”
Housed in the historic Old U.S. Mint, strategically located at the intersection of the French Quarter and the Frenchmen Street live music corridor, the New Orleans Jazz Museum is in the heart of the city’s vibrant music scene. Through partnerships with local, national, and international educational institutions, the New Orleans Jazz Museum promotes the global understanding of jazz as one of the most innovative, historically pivotal musical art forms in world history.
To view Economy Hall: The Hidden History of a Free Black Brotherhood, visit the New Orleans Jazz Museum, located at 400 Esplanade Ave., Tuesday–Sunday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Take a peek into the illustrious building’s intricate and intriguing past with the New Orleans Jazz Museum’s exciting new exhibit, Economy Hall: The Hidden History of A Free Black Brotherhood, a captivating study of one of New Orleans’ most significant cultural institutions. The exhibition, which opened this past February, invites music and history enthusiasts to delve into the rich history of Economy Hall and its instrumental role in molding the city’s cultural and artistic heritage.
“Economy Hall was more than a building—it’s a symbol of resilience, creativity, and the power of community," explains Greg Lambousy, Director of the New Orleans Jazz Museum. "This exhibit sheds light on a vital chapter of New Orleans history, revealing how the connections forged within its walls continue to influence our city’s culture today," he adds.
The detailed exhibit showcases rare photographs, artifacts and in-depth analysis from Fatima Shaik, author of Economy Hall: The Hidden History of a Free Black Brotherhood, and curator David Kunian. Enjoy unprecedented insight into the untold stories of Economy Hall over its 108-year history, as well as the early players from Kid Ory and King Oliver to Buddy Bolden and Louis Armstrong.
It was trailblazing cornet player Buddy Bolden who ushered in the initial sounds of jazz around 1900 while performing during dances held at Economy Hall. Later in 1912, trombonist Kid Ory played the roles of both bandleader and dance promoter, becoming one of the first to charge the public to attend his performances. In addition to its undeniable impact on jazz, the Société hosted several other cultural events at Economy Hall, including theater and opera performances. According to Shaik, the Société also “passed a resolution to parade through the streets en masse for every occasion—from celebrations to funerals,” giving rise to the inauguration of second line parades and jazz funerals, which today remain a defining cultural element of New Orleans.
“Economy Hall set the stage for jazz, America's classical music, precisely because the building opened in 1857 with a concert by the free colored philharmonic and welcomed every new musical form from that year until the building's destruction in 1963,” explains Shaik, a New Orleans native, professor, and journalist, who spent two decades reading 24 recovered journals of the Economie that were nearly lost forever. Upon being ravaged by Hurricane Betsy in 1965, the Economy Hall building was demolished, and the majority of its contents were headed to the dump. Luckily, a friend of Mohamed Shaik (Fatima’s father) had second thoughts and asked him to rescue and preserve some of the records. “Twenty-four books on a dump truck on the way to the garbage. And he rescued them and put them in the closet and they were there for about 50 years," she adds. Upon discovering the salvaged books, Shaik combed through the 3,000 pages, all handwritten in French, which uncovered the most prosperous Black community in the South prior to the Civil War: the Société d’Economie et d’Assistance Mutuelle.
Shaik unearthed hidden tidbits of history and treasured stories relating to the Société itself, as well as the legendary building it called home. “People experienced opera, brass bands, classical European and popular American songs, spirituals, gospel, blues and 19th- and 20th-century jazz composed and played by members of their local community and international guests,” she states. Over the same 100 years, the hall hosted some of the earliest integrated political meetings, voter registration, union organizing, self-help and community service groups, and was the launching pad for equal rights demonstrations. Economy Hall elevated the importance of the individual no matter his caste or race and incubated jazz, a music that allows every instrument a voice.”
Housed in the historic Old U.S. Mint, strategically located at the intersection of the French Quarter and the Frenchmen Street live music corridor, the New Orleans Jazz Museum is in the heart of the city’s vibrant music scene. Through partnerships with local, national, and international educational institutions, the New Orleans Jazz Museum promotes the global understanding of jazz as one of the most innovative, historically pivotal musical art forms in world history.
To view Economy Hall: The Hidden History of a Free Black Brotherhood, visit the New Orleans Jazz Museum, located at 400 Esplanade Ave., Tuesday–Sunday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.
