Notable New Orleanians: A Tricentennial Tribute

Ambrose’s idea for a local D-Day Museum originated in
his collection of soldier’s reminiscences of their experiences
during World War II. During the mid-1990s Ambrose
donated $500,000 to launch a museum to tell and illustrate
their stories. Opening its first facility to local fanfare in
2000, it has since then tripled in size, with a comparable
impact on New Orleans tourism. The National WWII
Museum today ranks as one of the most popular destinations
in the United States. For his participation Ambrose
received numerous awards, notably the National
Humanities Medal in 1998.
Though his energy produced vast quantities of written
words, it was Ambrose’ willingness to “put his money where
his dream was” that left the largest impact on New Orleans.
The museum he founded has spread to three squares in the
New Orleans Central Business District, and is now erecting
a hotel to facilitate visitors from across the world.
Stephen E. Ambrose.
UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS ARCHIVES, SPECIAL
COLLECTIONS, EARL K. LONG LIBRARY, UNIVERSITY OF
NEW ORLEANS.
A LLEN
T OUSSAINT
(1937-2015)
Perhaps in no other church is the distinctive New Orleans custom of assembling a food and statue-laden
St. Joseph’s Day altar more important to the congregation than it is at St. Joseph’s Church
on Tulane Avenue. There, on a quiet St. Joseph’s Day afternoon in 2015, visitors focused their
attention on the altar, admiring its color and inspiration and receiving special blessings from the
designated deacon. Few probably noticed the piano quietly sitting part way down the aisle. Soon,
a handsome figure entered, strode down the aisle, noticed the piano and, as if drawn to a fire, sat
down to play “Amazing Grace.” Allen Toussaint had come to honor St. Joseph.
The composer of “Java,” “Mother-in-Law,” “I Like It Like That,” “Fortune Teller,” “Ride Your
Pony,” “Get Out of My Life, Woman,” “Working in the Coal Mine,” “Everything I Do Gonna Be
Funky,” “Here Come the Girls,” “Yes We Can Can,” “Play Something Sweet,” “Southern Nights,”
and the all-time classic “Mother-in Law” was there to the enduring joy of New Orleanians visiting
the St. Joseph’s Altar.
Born in 1938 into the soon-to-be famous Neville family, Toussaint grew up in Gert Town near
Xavier University. He was still a teenager in 1957 when he began playing with composer and rock
and roll pioneer Dave Bartholomew and pianist Fats Domino. An early influence on his piano style
was the inimitable Henry Roeland Byrd, better known as Professor Longhair, whose melodious, offbeat
upper keyboard swells and currents would sooner or later emerge in Toussaint’s playing.
Toussaint’s first hit album, in 1958, included the much-recorded “Java,” leading in the following
years to writing and producing for Minit Records. Toussaint now entered a period of great fertility,
exemplified by the brilliant lyrics of “Mother-in-Law,” a hit which singer Ernie “K” Doe would build
around his career. After a stint in the army in 1965 Toussaint launched his own record label, Sansu.
More successes followed, notably “Working in the Coal Mine,” where he used as backup the Meters,
including Art Neville on keyboards. Toussaint went national during the 1970s, accompanying his
vocals on the keyboard, and using his studio Sea-Saint, and singing himself, culminating in
“Southern Nights.”
During the 1970s Toussaint wrote and produced records for Malcolm “Mac” Rebennack (“Dr.
John,” In the Right Place) and the New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian tribe the Wild Tchoupitoulas,
BIOGRAPHIES
123