I drove for miles through desolate Mississippi Delta cotton fields to the most remote section of Bolivar County to find this place. It’s a real juke joint, and from what I hear, it’s jumpin’ every night. It’s so eclectic and unique that it’s been featured in the New York Times. I understand the place is popular with many of the students from nearby Delta State.

Transformed in the 1950’s from a sharecropper shack that was built probably in the 1920’s, Poor Monkey’s Lounge is one of the last rural juke joints in the Mississippi Delta. There are several remaining urban jukes, and some modern reincarnations designed to reflect old juke joints, but virtually no other rural juke joints remain. These places were once common.

Photo: Poor Monkey’s - Bolivar County, MS - March of 2006

In the early days of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, established ‘Krewes’ allowed membership by invitation only.

Few in the ghetto felt they could ever participate in the typical New Orleans parade. Historically, slavery and racism were at the root of this cultural separation. The black neighborhoods in New Orleans gradually developed their own style of celebrating Mardi Gras. Their ‘Krewes’ are named for imaginary Indian tribes according to the streets of their ward or gang. (more…)