The Baby Dolls traces the history of African American women who transformed New Orleans Mardi Gras through masking, dance, and public performance.
Kim Vaz follows the groups from their beginnings around 1912 in Storyville to their revival after Hurricane Katrina, drawing on photographs, articles, and interviews. The book examines how Baby Dolls’ costumes and street performances challenged the boundaries of Carnival, while their dances and sponsorship of live bands helped shape the city’s jazz culture.
- Kim Vaz, Author
The Baby Dolls traces the history of African American women who transformed New Orleans Mardi Gras through masking, dance, and public performance.
Kim Vaz follows the groups from their beginnings around 1912 in Storyville to their revival after Hurricane Katrina, drawing on photographs, articles, and interviews. The book examines how Baby Dolls’ costumes and street performances challenged the boundaries of Carnival, while their dances and sponsorship of live bands helped shape the city’s jazz culture.
- Kim Vaz, Author