"Creoles" - We are...
The Frenchmen and the Spaniards gave to us their names and
Christianity. Along with the Africans and the Indians, they tinted our
skins and altered our consciousness. To them we attribute
whatever the eyes might behold. But our souls! Ah, but our invisible
souls, we owe to those endurable Gens de couleur (people of
color). For they kept our souls together, by giving us pride and
dignity; industry and independence; talents and fortitude. And all in
all, a most glorious and unique cultural heritage.
"Creoles"
Creole People are a blend of the "New World," People, with heavy roots in the Caribbean
area...Records from ship logs, Census reports, birth and death records, and many other sources
which date back to 1519 A.D. show these Creoles or people of color to have co-existed with the
Native peoples in these areas.
The origins of Creole People date back to the 15th Century, Senegal Africa and even before. The
word Creole, people of color does not denote African, but rather a blend of New World People
who have roots going back to West Africa... The name was created by people of African descent
born in the New World to differentiate them from people born who possessed a culture apart from
theirs.
The Brazilian people first coined the expression in the early 16th century. The Spanish adopted
the word "Creole" to denote their own, who were born in the New World and the French, later
copied this word form the Spanish. From this successive use of the word it somehow came to
denote Creole people form Louisiana. The descendants of the White French aristocracy who
settled New Orleans also adopted this word "Creole." However, since it was already in use by
people of color it became known to refer to white French men of New Orleans.
Further more! As Creole History goes, these Creoles inter-mixed with those free people of color
who thus became the offsprings of these people. Due to the Spanish and French Codes during
this period, marriages between the 2 groups were not allowed. Thus the separation! Creoles of
color as a matter of record can trace their ancestry to these original people. The Creole people of
Louisiana during the time, inter-mixed with Black slaves, Indian and Acadian people who were
already here or who had settled in Louisiana.
The Spanish garrisons that were located in various parts of Louisiana during the Spanish
occupation, along with other subgroups like the Redbones, Germans, Italians, and other ethnics
that made up the rural population of Louisiana. All came together to form this melting pot of ethnic
cultures in which the Creole shared.
After Napoleon's Defeat in Haiti, many white people and free people of color fled the island for
refugee in Louisiana, Cuba, and the tiny Caribbean islands. This intermixing of races and cultures
produced what we now know today in Louisiana as the "Creoles." They have contributed in every
way to the development of Louisiana and American society. Not only did they participate in all
major wars for the preservation of American Independence (War of 1812), but without the
Louisiana purchases, (land occupied by these people) there would be no America as we see it
today!
After the American take over of the Louisiana territory, "Creoles" were then stripped of their
rights, property, and basic freedom, and were forcefully subjugated into slavery and third class
citizen status! Some fled to Mexico and the Caribbean areas rather than subjugate themselves.
But most of these people of color stayed on and managed to survive throughout this period,
contributing much to the development of Louisiana. As time has gone by, the government and
decision makers of Louisiana continue to equate "Creoles" as second-class citizens. Refusing to
acknowledge their cultural presence and the contributions to the state of Louisiana.