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1866 Freedmen’s March Marker Unveiling
Sat, Jul 12
|New Orleans
Join us at Esplanade & Dauphine for the unveiling of a historic marker honoring the Freedmen who gathered in 1866 to march for justice and voting rights. This site marks the place where purpose and unity took form—before the march, before the violence, there was the gathering.
Time & Location
Jul 12, 2025, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
New Orleans, Esplanade Ave & Dauphine St, New Orleans, LA 70116, USA
Guests
About the event
1866 Freedmen’s Gathering Marker Unveiling
Friday August 15th, 2025 @ 10:00 AMLocation: Neutral Ground at Esplanade Avenue & Dauphine Street, New Orleans, LA
Join us for a powerful morning of remembrance as we unveil a historic marker at the original gathering place of the 1866 Freedmen’s March.
On July 30, 1866, Black Civil War veterans and supporters came together at Couvent Catholic School on Dauphine Street, forming a procession to support the reconvened Louisiana Constitutional Convention and the cause of Black male suffrage. Before the march began—before the violence that history would record—there was a sacred moment of unity, hope, and preparation.
This marker honors that beginning. It recognizes the courage and purpose of those who gathered in faith and solidarity, lifting one another before stepping into history.
The ceremony will include guest speakers, live music, and spiritual offerings in the spirit of remembrance and reparation.