Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club, Inc.

The Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club, Inc. is widely recognized today as the face on Mardi Gras in New Orleans.The organization was founded in 1909, by a group of laborers who organized themselves in the earlier years as “The Tramps.”Years of extensive research by Zulu’s Historian staff seems to indicate that Zulu’s beginning was very complicated. The earliest signs of organization came from the fact that the majority of the organizers belonged to benevolent aid societies. Benevolent Societies were the first form of insurance in the black community.Conversations and interviews with older members also indicate that in earlier years the City of New Orleans was divided into wards, and each ward had its own group or “Club.” The Tramps were one such group. After seeing a skit or play, the organizers retired to their meeting place (a room in the rear of a restaurant/bar in the 1100 block of Perdido Street), and emerged as Zulus. This group was probably made up of members from the Tramps, the benevolent aid Societies and ward-based groups.Today our members are leaders in their communities and can be found giving back through our Zulu Jrs. mentorship program, sponsoring scholarships, providing toys for christmas to needed children, or providing food baskets during the holiday season.