The Story Behind One of New Orleans’ Most Beloved Traditions
If you’ve ever visited New Orleans, chances are you’ve seen—or at least heard—a brass band leading a crowd of people dancing through the streets, waving colorful umbrellas and handkerchiefs.
That’s called a Second Line, and it’s one of the city’s most recognizable traditions.
A Second Line is more than a parade. It’s a celebration of music, community, and the unique spirit of New Orleans. Sometimes it’s joyful, sometimes it’s deeply emotional, but it always brings people together.
Where Did the Second Line Begin?
The Second Line tradition has roots stretching back more than two centuries.
It grew from a blend of West African cultural traditions, European brass band music, and the Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs that became an important part of New Orleans’ African American communities during the 1800s.
These organizations helped members during difficult times by providing financial assistance for illness, family emergencies, and funeral expenses. When a member passed away, the club organized a funeral procession led by a brass band.
The musicians, family members, and close friends formed the First Line.
Neighbors, friends, and members of the community often followed behind the procession, celebrating the person’s life through music and dance. These followers became known as the Second Line, giving the tradition its name.
The tradition has continued for generations and remains one of New Orleans’ most meaningful cultural customs.
Why Is It Called a Second Line?
The name comes from the order of the procession.
The First Line consists of the brass band, the family, and those leading the event.
Everyone following behind becomes the Second Line.
Over time, the term came to describe not only the people following the procession, but the celebration itself.
Unlike many parades, a Second Line isn’t something you simply watch—it’s something you join. As the music moves through the streets, friends, neighbors, and even visitors often fall in behind the band, becoming part of the celebration themselves.
Are Second Lines Always Funerals?
No—but that’s where the tradition is most deeply rooted.
A traditional New Orleans jazz funeral is one of the city’s most respected customs. These funeral Second Lines are often reserved for jazz musicians, longtime members of Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs, community leaders, or individuals who made a lasting contribution to New Orleans.
They are not part of every funeral, but when they do take place, they are considered a special tribute.
Today, however, you’re much more likely to see a Second Line celebrating life’s happiest moments.
They have become popular for:
- Weddings
- Anniversary celebrations
- Birthday parties
- Festivals
- Corporate events
- Convention celebrations
- Charity events
- Mardi Gras celebrations
In New Orleans, if there’s a reason to celebrate, there’s probably a brass band nearby.
Why Are Umbrellas and Handkerchiefs Part of the Tradition?
No Second Line feels complete without colorful umbrellas and waving handkerchiefs.
Originally, umbrellas served a practical purpose, protecting people from New Orleans’ hot sun and frequent rain showers. Over time, they became part of the celebration and are now decorated with ribbons, feathers, fringe, sequins, and bright Mardi Gras colors.
Handkerchiefs became another signature of the tradition for a much simpler reason—they were something almost everyone carried. Before disposable tissues, a handkerchief was an everyday item, useful in New Orleans’ hot, humid climate. If you didn’t have an umbrella, you could simply pull out your handkerchief, wave it high above your head or twirl it to the rhythm of the music. Together, the colorful umbrellas and waving handkerchiefs add movement, energy, and excitement as everyone dances through the streets.
Today, both have become enduring symbols of New Orleans and the joyful spirit of the Second Line. Even people who have never joined a Second Line instantly recognize a colorful umbrella and waving handkerchief as unmistakably New Orleans. At many New Orleans weddings, couples even provide personalized handkerchiefs as souvenirs for their guests. Long after the music ends, those handkerchiefs become cherished reminders of a joyful New Orleans celebration.
Why Is There Music at a Funeral?
To someone visiting New Orleans for the first time, a jazz funeral can seem both heartbreaking and joyful.
That’s exactly the point.
The procession usually begins with slow hymns and solemn music as family and friends remember the life of the person they’ve lost. Family, friends, and mourners quietly accompany the band, reflecting on the life of the person they have come to honor.
After the funeral service, however, everything changes.
The brass band shifts into upbeat jazz, and the Second Line begins to dance.
Rather than focusing only on death, the celebration honors a life well lived. It’s a reminder that while grief is real, so is the joy of the memories left behind.
It’s one of the most beautiful traditions in New Orleans.
Are Second Lines Part of Mardi Gras?
Absolutely—but they’re not limited to Mardi Gras.
During Carnival season, brass bands, dancing, and Second Lines become part of the city’s celebration. Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs often organize spectacular parades, and neighborhoods come alive with music.
The same joyful spirit that fills Mardi Gras can be found throughout the year at weddings, festivals, neighborhood celebrations, and community events.
That’s one reason visitors often associate Second Lines with Mardi Gras, even though they’re truly a year-round New Orleans tradition.
A Tradition That Brings People Together
Whether celebrating a marriage, honoring a beloved jazz musician, welcoming convention guests, or remembering someone who touched an entire community, every Second Line shares one thing in common—it brings people together through music.
The sound of a brass band, the wave of a handkerchief, the twirl of a colorful umbrella, and the rhythm of dancing feet have become enduring symbols of New Orleans around the world.
Like sharing a King Cake during Carnival season, joining a Second Line is a reminder that life’s greatest moments—both joyful and sorrowful—are best experienced together.
Laissez les bons temps rouler!