Chris Bickford

The photo above was taken at a funeral procession for Lawrence Robert, a longtime member of the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club, outside the Zulu club house on Broad Street in Mid-City.   Robert died a few days before Mardi Gras.  He was 76 years old.   He reigned as King Zulu in the year of 1997, riding at the head of the famous Zulu Mardi Gras parade, placing him in a lineage that includes the great Louis Armstrong, who reigned in 1949 and was featured in Time Magazine in full Zulu regalia.

“He lived a good full life,” said a friend of Robert’s after the hearse and limos headed for the cemetery.  “But that ain’t what I’m gonna be sayin’ when I get to that age.  I’ll be like, can I get 35 years or so more?”

The Zulus are one of the oldest and most respected Social Aid and Pleasure clubs in the city.  Social Aid and Pleasure Clubs are the modern descendants of what were known as “Benevolent Societies” in the nineteenth century.  Benevolent Societies were organizations of neighborhood groups that would pool their resources to help out other members in the community who were in financial or medical need, since blacks were unable to purchase insurance in those times.  The most famous legacy of the Societies is the “Jazz Funeral”, which gave birth to the tradition of the second-line parade, the upbeat, celebratory parade that was staged once the body was entombed.   The whole community would fall in line behind the musicians to honor the deceased’s life with joyful music and dance.

There was no second-line after Lawrence Robert’s funeral.  It was a quiet service, mainly just family.  Nowadays second-lines are held independent of funerals, usually on Sunday afternoons.   Of course, “second-line” has also become a verb in contemporary parlance, and a second-line can break out at any time there is reason to dance in the streets.  And upon the death of a famous black musician or community leader, there is a good chance the old second-line will follow the funeral.

Mister Robert, I never knew you, but may they be sec0nd-lining for you upon your arrival into the pearly gates.   And may Satchmo himself be leading the brass band.