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Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies The birth date of 19th-century New Orleans voodoo queen Marie Laveau has been as much a mystery to historians as the spells that she was known to cast. But 200 years later, LSU voodoo expert Ina Fandrich uncovered Laveau's original birth record and, in the process, has been able to shed some light on the mystery of Laveau's life. An expert on African, African-American, and Afro-Caribbean religions, including voodoo, Fandrich said Laveau's death in 1881 was well documented. Five different obituaries were written about her in various American newspapers, including the New Orleans Times-Picayune and the New York Times. But the exact date of her birth has been a mystery. As Fandrich examined birth records in the church archives, she found the record of a free, mulatto woman named Margarita giving birth to a free, mulatto girl named Maria in 1801. Fandrich said she is 100 percent certain that this document is the real thing and that Laveau was born in 1801 which would make Laveau 80 years old at the time of her death. Marie Laveau still plays a large role in New Orleans folklore. Legend has it that she received gifts from the Emperor of China and Queen Victoria of England. There is evidence that she was well-known in New York and San Francisco, and it is believed that she was also known in Haiti, France, Mexico, and Cuba. Such fame could be quite possible, since New Orleans was a major American port and trade center. Tour guides in New Orleans claim Laveau's tomb is the second most-visited grave in America, after Elvis Presley's. Fandrich is currently working on a book about Laveau, tentatively titled The Power of Marie Laveau, which should be on bookshelves by 2004. The book will document Fandrich's search for the birth record, the reasons she feels certain she has found it, and some of the more fascinating details of Laveau's life. Last updated April 2002
LSU Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies LSU Expert Uncovers Birth Record of Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau-LSU News Release |
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