Black t shirt with large back graphic

The African-derived rhythm called the habanera was embodied in many of the songs and dances performed in Congo Square. It’s a lively, three-beat rhythm that can be heard in songs such as “Quan Patate-Lachuite”. Congo Square is oftentimes referred to as the birthplace of jazz, with pianist Jelly Roll Morton declaring that the habanera must be present in order for music to be labeled as jazz. He often referred to it as the “Spanish tinge”, and the rhythm of the habanera was adapted into the second-line beat.

In 1817, a city ordinance restricted enslaved people to a single gathering place, Congo Square. On Sundays, they would gather there to sing, dance, worship, buy, and sell goods.