The land mass that was to become the city of New Orleans was formed around 2200 BCE when the Mississippi River deposited silt creating the delta region. Before Europeans colonized the area, it was inhabited by See more

In 1805, a census showed a heterogeneous population of 8,500, comprising 3,551 whites, 1,556 free blacks, and 3,105 slaves. Observers at the time and historians … See more

Yellow fever epidemics threatened New Orleans from 1817 through 1905. Striking hard in the summer and early autumn (between July and … See more

In the early part of the 20th century the Francophone character of the city was still much in evidence, with one 1902 report describing "one-fourth of the population of the city speaks … See more

First French colonial period
• Kingdom of France (1718–1763)
• Kingdom of Spain (1763–1802)
• French First Republic (1802–1803)
• United States of America (1803–1861) See more

Until the early 20th century, construction was largely limited to the slightly higher ground along old natural river levees and bayous; the largest section of this being near the Mississippi … See more

In May 2002, businessman Ray Nagin was elected mayor. A former cable television executive, Nagin was unaligned with any of the city's traditional political blocks, and many … See more