Built on Faith, Family, and Strength: Black History in Baton Rouge and Beyond

In Louisiana, history is not just something you read in a book. It lives in our neighborhoods, our churches, our kitchens, and our music. From Baton Rouge to Ascension Parish, from New Orleans to small towns along the bayou, Black history is part of our everyday life.

If you have ever stood downtown in Baton Rouge and heard live jazz, you have heard Black history. If you have danced at a festival in Gonzales or enjoyed a plate of red beans and rice on a Monday, you have tasted Black history. If you have clapped along in a Sunday morning church service anywhere across Louisiana, you have felt it.

Our state was built on the hard work of Black men and women. Black families built schools, churches, and businesses. They became teachers, pastors, farmers, soldiers, and leaders. They raised children who would go on to change Louisiana and the nation.

Louisiana also played a big role in civil rights history. Brave men and women stood up for justice in Baton Rouge, in small-town courthouses, and on college campuses like Southern University.

Black culture is at the heart of Louisiana. Jazz was born in New Orleans. Blues and gospel grew strong in communities across the state. Zydeco music fills dance halls from Opelousas to the river parishes. Mardi Gras traditions, second lines, and neighborhood parades carry stories passed down for generations.

Black History Month is important because it reminds us to honor these stories with respect. It helps children in Baton Rouge classrooms learn about leaders who look like them. It encourages families in Ascension Parish to talk about their grandparents and great-grandparents who worked hard and never gave up. It brings communities together to celebrate faith, music, education, and service.

It is also a time to remember that the story is still being written. Black doctors, teachers, small-business owners, artists, and public servants continue to shape Louisiana every day. They coach Little League teams, serve on city councils, and volunteer after hurricanes. They are neighbors and friends who care deeply about this state.

100 Ways to Celebrate Black History Month

To help you celebrate Black History Month, here is a guide with 100 ways to do so in Baton Rouge and Ascension Parish.

For me, the greatest way to show up for the community is to build a network with Black owned businesses like H Kyle Boutique, Sweet Fluffy Clouds, and The Blend Guru, and to forge partnerships with local groups like the Bayou Kingz, Swamp Dawgz, and IDE Elite. In this way, we build a united community grounded in shared faith and common purpose, all together now.

1. Visit the Capitol Park Museum in Baton Rouge and explore exhibits on Louisiana’s Black history.

2. Tour the LSU Rural Life Museum to understand plantation economies and enslaved labor systems.

3. Visit Magnolia Mound or other historic sites and examine slavery’s role in local development.

4. Research the 1953 Baton Rouge Bus Boycott and its influence on the Montgomery boycott.

5. Study the history of Southern University and A and M College in Scotlandville.

6. Explore the history of McKinley High School, one of the oldest Black high schools in Louisiana.

7. Learn about Black political leadership in East Baton Rouge Parish.

8. Research the integration of LSU and local schools.

9. Study the civil rights movement in Baton Rouge and surrounding parishes.

10. Visit local cemeteries and historical markers tied to Black veterans.

11. Attend a Southern University athletic event.

12. Visit the Southern University Museum of Art.

13. Support Southern University student performances or public lectures.

14. Learn about the role of HBCUs in Louisiana’s higher education system.

15. Highlight Southern alumni who have shaped Louisiana politics, business, and culture.

16. Dine at Black owned restaurants in Baton Rouge.

17. Support Black owned bakeries and food trucks in Ascension Parish.

18. Purchase books from Black owned bookstores or pop up vendors.

19. Hire local Black photographers, designers, or consultants.

20. Spotlight Black entrepreneurs in Gonzales and Prairieville.

21. Partner with Black owned vendors for corporate or church events.

22. Feature Black owned beauty supply and hair care businesses.

23. Create a community shopping guide.

24. Attend pop up markets featuring Black artisans.

25. Share verified business directories with your network.

26. Visit historic Black churches in Baton Rouge.

27. Learn about the role of churches in local civil rights organizing.

28. Attend a community forum hosted by a local congregation.

29. Support youth mentoring programs led by faith communities.

30. Study how Black churches supported disaster recovery after hurricanes.

31. Attend performances at the Baton Rouge River Center featuring Black artists.

32. Visit local galleries showcasing Black Louisiana artists.

33. Attend spoken word events or poetry slams.

34. Explore zydeco and blues history in the region.

35. Support local Black filmmakers and content creators.

36. Attend Mardi Gras events organized by historically Black krewes.

37. Learn about the influence of Creole culture in Ascension Parish.

38. Support local dance studios and cultural arts programs.

39. Highlight Black chefs preserving Louisiana culinary traditions.

40. Visit local libraries during Black History Month programming.

41. Take children to story time events focused on Black authors at East Baton Rouge Parish Library.

42. Create a family project on the Baton Rouge Bus Boycott.

43. Research local Black inventors or professionals.

44. Visit parks in Scotlandville and discuss community development.

45. Explore Louisiana’s role in the Great Migration.

46. Interview elders about segregation and integration in Ascension Parish.

47. Create a family archive of local history.

48. Watch documentaries about Louisiana civil rights history.

49. Cook Creole and Cajun dishes while discussing food heritage.

50. Attend Southern University homecoming events as a family learning experience.

51. Attend Metro Council or Ascension Parish Council meetings.

52. Study local school board decisions and equity issues.

53. Review data on housing patterns in Baton Rouge.

54. Examine environmental justice concerns along the Mississippi River corridor.

55. Learn about healthcare access disparities in the region.

56. Engage with local advocacy organizations.

57. Support voter registration drives.

58. Study the impact of industrial development in Ascension Parish.

59. Review parish level economic mobility data.

60. Encourage data driven conversations about community outcomes.

61. Invite a Southern University professor to speak at your organization.

62. Highlight Black leadership within local companies.

63. Partner with Black chambers of commerce.

64. Sponsor scholarships for students in East Baton Rouge and Ascension.

65. Create internships for students from local high schools.

66. Audit supplier diversity within your organization.

67. Support workforce development programs.

68. Share local historical facts in company newsletters.

69. Host a panel on Baton Rouge civil rights history.

70. Collaborate with local nonprofits for long term initiatives.

71. Follow local Black journalists and media outlets.

72. Share archival photos of historic Baton Rouge neighborhoods.

73. Record oral histories from long time residents.

74. Highlight community leaders in social media campaigns.

75. Create a short video on Southern University’s legacy.

76. Amplify credible research about the Capital Region.

77. Support local Black podcasters.

78. Write op eds focused on regional equity issues.

79. Share verified historical timelines.

80. Fact check local myths about race and history.

81. Fund scholarships for students at Southern University.

82. Mentor youth in Baton Rouge and Gonzales.

83. Support affordable housing initiatives.

84. Partner with local reentry programs.

85. Support Black farmers and growers in Ascension Parish.

86. Commit to year round support of Black owned businesses.

87. Build relationships with community leaders beyond February.

88. Invest in local arts programs.

89. Advocate for inclusive curriculum in parish schools.

90. Support data transparency in local government.

91. Study Baton Rouge demographic trends over time.

92. Review parish economic data and opportunity gaps.

93. Reflect on how local history shapes current neighborhoods.

94. Discuss generational wealth patterns in the region.

95. Examine transportation access in Baton Rouge.

96. Learn about the history of Scotlandville.

97. Study the development of Gonzales and Prairieville.

98. Evaluate progress in local diversity initiatives.

99. Commit to supporting at least five local Black owned businesses annually.

100. Continue engaging with Baton Rouge and Ascension Parish history throughout the year.

Black History Month is not separate from Louisiana’s story. It is Louisiana’s story.

When we honor Black history, we honor the soul of our state. We honor the people who built it, who prayed for it, who sang through hard times, and who believed in a better tomorrow.