The BK Historic House and Gardens in the French Quarter will host a lecture and a concert in late September.
Renowned scholar and author Mary Mitchell, a historian with the Freedom On The Move Project, will present a program entitled “Mathilda’s Pass: Enslaved Women, Freedom Seeking, and Fugitivity in New Orleans” on Wednesday, September 21, from 6 to 8 pm. The presentation will take place in the salon of the historic home, located at 1113 Chartres Street, across from the Old Ursuline Convent.
Later that week, on Sunday, September 25, the historic house museum will present An Evening with The Mahmoud Chouki Trio from 6 to 8 pm in the salon. The concert will feature Chouki, a popular, multitalented master guitarist, along with pianist Oscar Rossignoli and bassist Martin Masakowski, who are also well known in the local jazz scene.
Mitchell’s lecture will address self-liberating women in antebellum New Orleans. Research has revealed that many enslaved women often fled from enslavers, although men were more frequently known to do so. Names and stories have been found in local newspaper ads placed by jailers and enslavers seeking their return. Mitchell’s comments will piece together a clearer picture of fleeing women in the cityscape by exploring court cases and fugitive slave advertisements. Mitchell will also talk about her work with Freedom on the Move, a crowd-sourced database of fugitive slave advertisements printed in North America before the Civil War. Tickets are $5 each or free to BK members.
Chouki’s performances have been described as a “musical odyssey.” The concert is presented in partnership with NOLAxNOLA and promises to be a treat, featuring classical music that is of his own creation. The Moroccan multi-instrumentalist, composer and educator combines classical guitar with instruments such as the loutar, the oud, an oriental lute, the Algerian mandole, the Baglama saz, the banjo and a variety of percussion instruments. Currently living and working in New Orleans, Chouki has delighted in jazz influences which he feels “gives his music air.” Tickets are $40 for nonmembers and $30 for members. Patrons are welcome to bring their own beverages though some complimentary refreshments will be provided.
Tickets to the lecture on September 21 and the concert on September 25 may be purchased here. Both events will take place at 6 p.m. and doors will open at 5:30 for general admission seating.
Distinguished as a National Historic Landmark, the BK House was built in 1826, purchased by noted author Frances Parkinson Keyes in 1948 and restored under her loving care. Programming has evolved in the last several years to focus on the seven families who lived on the property, as well as influences of the French Quarter neighborhood. A new interpretative program is underway to better reflect the heritage of the site.
