Marie LaVeau was a Marketing Genius (1830s)
St. John’s Eve, a Christian holiday celebrated around the world, got a New Orleans twist thanks to the infamous Marie LaVeau. In the 1830s, she hosted feasts along Lake Pontchartrain, with food, music, and a head-washing ritual. This, despite strict regulations quashed gatherings like LaVeau’s feast. Since there had been rebellion in Haiti, and it struck terror in the hearts of New Orleans slaveholders. Because of that fear, enslaved people were prohibited from gathering in large groups. This drove Haitian based Voodoo rituals underground, but LaVeau brought it into the open and even publicize it. In fact, LaVeau’s ability to practice in the open speaks to her prominence among the New Orleans elite as a spiritual and community leader. Her marketing skills led her to invite white New Orleans citizens to the festivities, allowing the curious and the media to see what happened at these events.