History of the Baby Dolls
The Baby Dolls were created by two women of color, Leola Tate and Beatrice Hill in Black Storyville. This corner located in the back-a-town was the red-light district for the destitute, and Black men, who banned from patronizing the brothels of Storyville, due to the Black Codes, and Jim Crow legislation. Not only were people of color prohibited from areas like Storyville but, they were not allowed to participate in Carnival, so they created their own, birthing the Baby Doll tradition. Baby dolls were known for being fierce women who carried sticks, threw money at male onlookers, smoked cigars, and donned knives in their garters. They paraded through their neighborhoods making their own joy in spite of a society that continuously robbed them of their humanity. Over twenty groups continue to pay homage to the original Cribs, and many of the women are working professionals with their own businesses and careers. You can find the dolls dancing throughout the city at festivals, parades, throughout the Carnival Season, and of course, on Mardi Gras Day!
