The Zulu parade grew out of an older small working-class African American marching club called The Tramps in 1916. The members decided to satirize the conventions of white New Orleans Mardi Gras, particularly the Rex parade. Zulu also satirized white society's attitudes towards and stereotypes of blacks. While Rex arrived at the foot of Canal Street in a yacht, the early versions of King Zulu arrived on Carondolet Canal in a coal barge, wearing a tin crown made from a lard can and holding a ham-bone, in parody of Rex's jeweled crown and scepter. Members of the Zulus used black and white makeup on their face in an even more highly exaggerated style than the blackface makeup of the minstrel show performers of the era. The Zulu court wore grass skirts. Back when the New Orleans police force was exclusively white, a contingent of Zulus paraded wearing accurate duplicates of New Orleans police uniforms.
Zulu was not the first African American carnival organization in New Orleans, however it was the first to stage a sizable public parade. Older "colored" organizations restricted themselves to private balls and small marching clubs. In its early years, the membership of Zulu was largely working class, and often looked down on by more well to do and educated New Orleans blacks. In addition to the carnival parade, Zulu also arranged for funerals with a brass band for deceased members.
As late as the mid 20th century Zulu had no pre-publicised set route, but would wind around predominantly black neighborhoods with stops at various clubs and bars, in addition to a procession in front of city hall where the Mayor of New Orleans and various dignitaries were in reviewing stands waiting for Rex. By the 1920s Zulu had become enough of a tradition that King Zulu and the Mayor exchanged toasts on Mardi Gras morning. After the swing by old city hall, individual Zulu floats would sometimes make their own way around the city as Zulu broke apart into numerous mini-parades. Since the 1960s Zulu has been required to hold to a set route like all the other large parades.
As the race and identity of individuals could be hidden by the blackface makeup, a small number of whites joined Zulu even in the days of the Jim Crow laws, making Zulu New Orleans' first racially integrated carnival krewe even before this was legal.
In the early days the Zulu floats were decorated wagons, later Zulu took to renting floats floats already used early in the carnival season by other Krewes. This tradition continues. Zulu does a rapid customization of these used floats before the parade, so that in the Zulu parade one might see floats depicting the likeness of such figures as Napoleon or The Beatles in blackface.
In 1949 Zulu had the first celebrity carnival king when Louis Armstrong reigned as King of the Zulus.
In the 1960s Zulu enured presure from various civil rights organizations to disband because of its use of the negative stereotype of blackface. Zulu continued none the less, and is today one of the favorite parades of the Carnival season.
Zulu coconuts, coconuts which have been custom painted and decorated by Zulu riders, are perhaps the most prized of all the hand outs given to the crowds by New Orleans parades.
In 1993 the Zulus began their annual public Lundi Gras festivities the day before Mardi Gras, in Woldenburg Park on the banks of the Mississippi River beside the French Quarter. This quickly became a popular event, and since the first one climaxes when the kings of Rex and Zulu ceremonially greet each other.
See also: