This is the lovely Mary Aglaé JARDOIN, born circa 1882 in Iota, Louisiana, to Benedict Onésime JARDOIN and Anastasia AUZENNE, both free people of color, or as I prefer to say, gens de couleur libres. She later married Romain Daniel GUILLORY, born circa 1882 in Church Point, Louisiana, to Emmanuel GUILLORY Sr. and Emily KING, also free people of color. Both Romain’s and Aglaé’s parents were among the Creoles who fled Louisiana for Veracruz and Saint-Domingue to escape the turmoil and violence sur

What if I told you some of the most affluent Creoles of Color in Louisiana were once enslaved and I found the receipts to prove it?Even though the Rapides Parish courthouse was burned down during the Civil War, I was still able to uncover colonial-era documents tracing my ancestors who were once enslaved by Post Commandant Dr. Ennemond MEULLION. Against all odds, they rose to become some of the most prosperous Creoles of Color in Louisiana.A lot of land ownership was lost but some still living o

🎥 Defending Culture: Creole Blackface 🎥 For too long, our heritage has been reshaped, misrepresented, and commodified. Defending Culture: Creole Blackface is a narrative-driven short film that makes a powerful statement about preserving Creole culture—specifically the heritage and traditions of Creoles of Color. Through a compelling voiceover, it reaffirms our commitment to telling our story through our own lens, calling out cultural “blackface,” and protecting our identity from exploitation—e