Louis Armstrong Statue created by renowned African American sculptor Elizabeth Catlett in 1978.

Vision

Morris FX Jeff Municipal Auditorium, built on top of the Sacred Ground of Congo Square, was initially built without regard for the nature of this sacred space. Over time, the Auditorium became a community gathering space for concerts, graduations, and other events where this beloved community could be free to express themselves fully.

Louis Armstrong Park, named for one of the city's cultural icons, holds a particular significance to Black and American culture. The Park is the first set aside lands dedicated to the ritual, spiritual, cultural, and entrepreneurial gathering
of enslaved Africans. On the 32 acres that encompass Louis Armstrong Park sit the remaining sacred ground of Congo Square in honor of our ancestors, Morris FX Jeff Municipal Auditorium named for the activist and leader of NORD from 1947-1986, and Mahalia Jackson Theatre named in celebration of the Great Gospel singer. This Park is the psychic center of Indigenous people of Tremé', New Orleans, and African-American Culture across North America.

A joyous expression of sacred space, The Louis Armstrong Park Cultural Center - seated in Louis Armstrong Park, is a transformational space celebrating the root culture of New Orleans and honors the sacrifices, achievements, and legacy of our ancestors. It is a place that recognizes our cultural past as an essential part of our cultural future. As it has been in the past, the Cultural Complex will be a center of joy that not only exemplifies our cultural identity but stands as a model of community development, social and economic empowerment, and advocacy. It will stand to teach the world who we are and where we came from.

The Building

The Cultural Complex is a home for our creatives who sew and bead to remind us of our stories. Those who cook the food and play the music that nourishes our souls. The ones who dance to keep the rhythm of our ancestors in their hearts. This place is a home for all the recording, visual and textile artists who show us the connections through their artforms. This is a space of resilience and resistance for the revolutionaries who give us a glimpse of a future worth fighting for. The Cultural Complex will be a place for residents, visitors, teachers, storytellers and most importantly, our youth to engage, learn and directly connect with the culture bearers of New Orleans. This is a space that aims to reflect the past, present, and future of socially and politically liberated black space in this city and across the world. Because Black Space Matters.