St. Augustine Church (New Orleans)

St. Augustine Church is a Catholic church in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. The parish was founded in 1841 under the episcopacy of Bishop Antoine Blanc, and it is the oldest African-American parish in the nation. It was one of the first 26 sites designated on the state's Louisiana African American Heritage Trail.

The property on which St. Augustine stands was once part of the Claude Tremé plantation and is now one of two Catholic parishes in the Faubourg Tremé. The church is located on Saint Claude Avenue at Governor Nicholls Street, a block from North Rampart Street and the French Quarter. It was designed by the French architect J. N. B. de Pouilly, who earlier designed the more famous St. Louis Cathedral on Jackson Square.

History

When free people of color received permission from Bishop Antoine Blanc to build a church, the Ursuline Sisters donated the property, on the condition that the church be named St. Augustine, after one of their patron saints, Augustine of Hippo. The church was dedicated on October 9, 1842. Free people of color paid for extra pews so that enslaved blacks could also attend. [ [http://www.staugustinecatholicchurch-neworleans.org/ St. Augustine Catholic Church of New Orleans] , Official Website, accessed 8 Jul 2008]

A few months before the October 9, 1842 dedication of St. Augustine Church, the people of color began to purchase pews for their families to sit. Upon hearing of this, white people in the area started a campaign to buy more pews than the colored folks. Thus, The War of the Pews began and was ultimately won by the free people of color who bought three pews to every one purchased by the whites. In an unprecedented social, political and religious move, the colored members also bought all the pews of both side aisles. They gave those pews to the slaves as their exclusive place of worship, a first in the history of slavery in the United States.

This mix of the pews resulted in the most integrated congregation in the entire country: one large row of free people of color, one large row of whites with a smattering of ethnics, and two outer aisles of slaves.

[ [http://www.staugustinecatholicchurch-neworleans.org/ St. Augustine Catholic Church of New Orleans] , Official Website, accessed 8 Jul 2008]

The Tremé has traditionally been an African-American neighborhood, although it has included a mulitcultural community. Along with the neighboring parish of St. Peter Claver, the parish is known in New Orleans for its association with the black Catholic community. The church hosts the annual Jazz Mass, held in conjunction with the Satchmo Festival, which honors Louis Armstrong's birthday.

Famous parishioners have included civil rights activists, musicians and other leaders: [ [http://www.staugustinecatholicchurch-neworleans.org/ St. Augustine Catholic Church of New Orleans] , Official Website, accessed 8 Jul 2008]
* Homer Plessy, civil rights activist, 19th c. ("Plessy v. Ferguson" Supreme Court case)
* Sidney Bechet, jazz clarinetist, soprano saxophonist and composer
* A.P. Tureaud, civil rights attorney in New Orleans
* Allison 'Tootie' Montana, Mardi Gras Indian "Chief of Chiefs"

Because of substantial property losses in the city and decline in population, the diocese decided to close St. Augustine Church after Hurricane Katrina. Parishioners asked hurricane relief volunteers for help, who barricaded themselves in the church's rectory. After two weeks, parishioners and church officials agreed on a compromise, and the church was allowed to remain open. The archdiocese will review its status after 18 months. [ [http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/04/10/1348234 "Historic African-American Church Reopened after Weeks of Protest & Rectory Sit-In"] , "Democracy Now", 10 Apr 2006, accessed 9 Jul 2008] A documentary film about the protest was made entitled "Shake the Devil Off". [ [http://www.shakethedeviloff.com/index.htm "Shake the Devil Off"] , Official Website]

In May 2008 St. Augustine Church received a $75,000 grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and American Express to aid in its needed renovations. [ [http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0802776.htm Chaz Muth, "Grants ensure future for two New Orleans Catholic landmarks"] Catholic News Service, 21 May 2008]

References

External links

* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5297314 Molly Peterson, "Black Catholics in Standoff over Closing of Parish"] , National Public Radio
* [http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/04/10/1348234 "Historic African-American Church Reopened after Weeks of Protest & Rectory Sit-In"] , Democracy Now, 10 Apr 2006
* [http://www.shakethedeviloff.com/ "Shake the Devil Off", Official Website]
* [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/04/09/ap/national/mainD8GSMSE80.shtml "Historic New Orleans Church Gets Reprieve"] , CBS News, 9 Apr 2006
* [http://www.louisianatravel.com/explore/cultural_history/african_american_heritage_trail/ Louisiana's African American Heritage Trail]