Ronald W. Lewis, who established the House of Dance and Feathers Museum, is shown parading with the Big Nine in 2019.  Photo by Judy Cooper.

New Orleans Black cultural site and museum, The House of Dance and Feathers, reopened Tuesday, December 6. One of the first casualties of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Orleans, culture bearer Ronald W. Lewis’ passing led to the closing of the Ninth Ward space. Without it, the documentation of parading customs like Mardi Gras Indians, Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs and Skull & Bone gangs came under threat. But thanks to the work of Ronald’s wife, Charlotte “Minnie” Lewis and the help of UNO anthropologist Rachel Breulin and her Neighborhood Story Project, the space has been restored.

Starting out of the Lewis’ garage in 2003, The House of Dance and Feathers wasn’t Ronald Lewis’ only contribution to New Orleans culture. He also founded the Big 9 Social Aid & Pleasure Club, authored a book, and spent a lifetime involved with Mardi Gras Indians starting at age 13. Ronald worked as a streetcar track repairman with the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority for 30 years and was also a member of the Krewe du Jieux since its formation in 1996.

In an interview with OffBeat in 2016, Ronald said, “To me, when you get to the top of that bridge [the St. Claude Avenue Bridge], the most powerful and embracing sight to see is when your whole community is there to greet you.”

Now his legacy and work live on through the curation of the museum. To learn more, visit their website at houseofdanceandfeathers.org