More than four in ten (41%) identify as Protestant (including 23% who are evangelical and 18% who are non-evangelical), while 11% are Catholic, 1% are Latter-day Saint, and 1% are Orthodox Christians. to 2060. Christian. WebLouisiana Population Pyramid 2023 Louisiana Median Age 37.2 Total 35.9 Male 38.4 Female Louisiana Adults There are 3,567,057 adults, (719,544 of whom are seniors) in Louisiana. http://nineteensixty-four.blogspot.com/2010/08/diversification.html(Note: Millennial = people born after 1982), [27] USCCB, Secretariat for Cultural [55] Ensure that you have the right strategy, culture, people, structure and processes in place to achieve your goals. affiliation vary considerably across the U.S. states. The presence of a significant Jewish community well established by the early 20th century also made Louisiana unusual among Southern states, although South Carolina and Virginia also had influential populations in some of their major cities from the 18th and 19th centuries. Given the favored treatment of lighter people with more European appearance, some Creoles would passe blanc (pass for White) to seek privileges of status, economic power, and education denied to non-Whites. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. In civilian labor force, total, percent of population age 16 years+, 2017-2021: 58.7%: In civilian labor force, female, percent of population age 16 years+, 2017-2021: 55.1%: Total accommodation and food services sales, 2017 ($1,000) 14,553,042: Total health care and social assistance receipts/revenue, 2017 ($1,000) 34,618,006 From Acadian French. +1 202.715.3030. West Virginia (6%), and Texas (6%). Among those eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Louisiana Creoles with African ancestry, a higher percentage than in the rest of the American South was freed from slavery in Louisiana, owing in part to French and Spanish attitudes toward acknowledgment of social and biological mingling. sample, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum error [10]Boston WebPopulation Area Map Acadia Parish: 001: Crowley: 1886: from part of St. Landry Parish. That year, the Diocese of Galveston had the fifth-largest Black Catholic population among United States dioceses. Talk to me about the duty of religion and Ill listen submissively. Columbia to 1 percentage point in California. The city of New Orleans was established by Bienville in 1718. Some of these "Creoles of color," as they were also sometimes called, owned slaves themselves and had their children educated in Europe. Division of Labor. Washingtonians have especially high proportions of non-religious Young men may challenge these values of respectability by associating outside family settings with people in bars and dance halls, and in work situations with other men. any religious affiliation beyond that; a significant proportion of WebIn 1951, industrial opportunities increased, and many Black Louisiana Catholics moved to Houston and surrounding areas. Because Ceremonies . [1] Gallup data show that Americans living in the West are generally As of 2008 both Senators and the Governor were Catholic. Archdiocesan priests. RELIGION: Vodou; Roman Catholicism; Protestantism public opinion polls. For instance, most of the early governors were French Creole Catholics. than any U.S. state (about 10%). In rural areas, families may divide land to assist a new couple. in the estimates. In rural and urban Creole Louisiana cemeteries, the dead are remembered particularly on Toussaint, or All-Saints' Day (November 1 on the liturgical calendar). % of adults in Louisiana who say they look tomost for guidance on right and wrong. Archdiocesan priests. [13] Increasing urbanization in employment venue and penetration of mainstream society with less gender-specific work roles is transforming the rural division of labor. Louisiana is distinguished from the rest of the Anglo-Protestant South and the United States by its French/Spanish Catholic heritage. the greatest percentage of Mormons. Diversity, Office of Hispanic Affairs. By this we are all his disciples and his successors; by this he has laid the eternal foundation-stone of true religion; and if religion is essential to humanity, he has by this deserved the Divine rank the world has accorded him.Ernest Renan (18231892), Talk to me about the truth of religion and Ill listen gladly. of their residents identifying as Christian -- Massachusetts (79%), Bishops, Secretariat for Cultural Diversity in the Church. Read more about this topic: Louisiana, Culture, Never has any one been less a priest than Jesus, never a greater enemy of forms, which stifle religion under the pretext of protecting it. Rutherford, N.J.: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press. Zydeco is the music of Black Creoles in southwestern Louisiana. frequency of reading scripture among Catholics by statefrequency of reading scripture among adults in Louisiana by religious group, % of Catholics who are in Louisiana who say the holy scripture is, Compare: In 22 of the states, there are (Clive Staples), My religion is no garment to be put on and off with the weather. Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Connecticut. CARA, 1964 Blog, Data Check: Catholic Mormon < 1%. Gallup https://news.gallup.com/poll/12091/Tracking-Religious-Affiliation-State-State.aspx at least 1,000 interviews, allowing for a high degree of confidence 2023 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The updated 2010 Catholic population total (1,078,790,000) is slightly lower than the estimate published in the 2011 Global Christianity report (1,094,610,00). Diversity in the Church. WebThe high proportion and influence of the Catholic population makes Louisiana distinct among Southern states. Marriage within the Catholic church usually takes place during the partners' teens and early twenties. 2015. belief in God among Catholics by statebelief in God among adults in Louisiana by religious group, % of Catholics who are in Louisiana who say religion is, Compare: Clergy in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Childbearing is encouraged and families with an agrarian base are large by American standards. In 1762 Louisiana and New Orleans were ceded to Spain by a secret treaty that was to establish nearly four decades of Spanish rule and influence in the area. About 70% serve Spanish-speaking Catholics.56As of 2013, the estimated number of lay ecclesial ministers in the United States was approximately 38,000 (2.1 per parish). 25.7% of Baby Boomers (Vatican II, born between 1943-1960) self-identify as Catholic. South Dakota, Wyoming, and Delaware. [52] At that time, there were 132 resident parishes, 97 missions, and 451 secular and religious priests. Spitzer, Nicholas R. (1984). Identify and enable future-ready leaders who can inspire exceptional performance. Ph.D. In rural areas, the new charismatic Catholicism has also been Influential. These cottage dwellings combine Norman influences in roofline and sometimes historic construction with half-timbering and bousillage (mud and moss plastering), with Caribbean Influences seen in porches, upturned lower rooflines (false galleries), louvered doors and windows, and elevated construction. WebLouisiana Population Pyramid 2023 Louisiana Median Age 37.2 Total 35.9 Male 38.4 Female Louisiana Adults There are 3,567,057 adults, (719,544 of whom are seniors) in Louisiana. Prominent Jews in Louisiana's political leadership have included Whig (later Democrat) Judah P. Benjamin (18111884), who represented Louisiana in the U.S. Senate prior to the American Civil War and then became the Confederate Secretary of State; Democrat Adolph Meyer (18421908), Confederate Army officer who represented the state in the U.S. House from 1891 until his death in 1908; Republican Secretary of State Jay Dardenne (1954), and Republican (Democrat prior to 2011) Attorney General Buddy Caldwell (1946). residents are Mississippi (4%), Louisiana (5%), North Dakota (5%), Creole men in groups may assert their reputation as great lovers, sportsmen, cooks, dancers, talkers, and workers, but over time they are expected to settle into a respectable home life. It is a synthesis of Cajun tunes, African-American blues, and Caribbean rhythms. Encyclopedia.com. Still, within the context of the United States, Southern Louisiana Catholicism is unique. Further, the long-term interaction with and dominance of Cajun French, as well as the larger assimilative tendency of English, have made Creole closer to Cajun French. The Share Save Image. Confidence in Religion Rises, Jimmy Carter and the Challenge of Identifying Evangelicals, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. CARA, Cultural Most Creole cottages are two rooms wide, constructed of cypress with continuous pitch roofs and central chimneys. [33] Center for Applied Research in New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press. Apostolate, The Class of 2015, Survey of Ordinands to the Creole Louisiana is probably best known for its association with voodoo (voudun in Haiti) as an Afro-Catholic set of religious practices. Creole culture shows syncretism in areas such as folk Catholicism (home altars, voodoo, and traiteurs, or "traditional healers"), language use (French Creole), music/dance (New Orleans jazz and zydeco), the festival observed (Mardi Gras), and foodways (congris, jambalaya, gumbo). The rural southwest portion of this region is also called "Cajun Country" or "Acadiana," names derived from the dominant presence of Cajuns, who were descended ancestrally from French-speaking Acadians of what is now Nova Scotia and were displaced to southern Louisiana in the mideighteenth century. race/ethnicity among Catholics by staterace/ethnicity among adults in Louisiana by religious group, Compare: Mormon < 1%. Frequently 1985. The Free Negro in Ante-Bellum Louisiana. Encyclopedia of World Cultures. Performed on accordion and violin with Creole vocals and a rhythm section augmented by a hand-scraped frottoir (rubbing board), zydeco music brings together the full range of the Creole community for weekly dances at bars and church halls, the only exception being the Lenten season. Historic rural outlier settlements are also found on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain and in northern Louisiana in the Cane River area south of Natchitoches. The word may have African root forms, but in Louisiana folk etymology it is attributed to the proverbial phrase les haricots sont pas sales ("no salt in the beans") referring to hard times when no salt meat was available. POPULATION: About 1,485,832 Other Mormon < 1%. [2] Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. "The African Presence in Colonial Louisiana." While some Creoles run grocery and sundries stores, most people outside New Orleans neighborhoods or rural Creole settlements are not merchants. In an established urban setting like New Orleans, men have similarly tended to be those who labored outside the home in the crafts previously noted, while women have been primary in the Domestic sphere. [32] Ospino, Hosffman.Hispanic Ministry in Catholic Parishes, 2014. p. 27. Sample size = 130. The literate Creole culture provided the state with a long press tradition; the first newspaper, Le Moniteur de la Louisiane, appeared in 1794. Learn how to develop and engage employees to create an exceptional workplace and boost your business outcomes. Jacobs, Claude F. (198). Center of Applied Research in the This is especially evident in the realm of music, whether it be African American song (including the celebrated rural blues), Cajun fiddling at the fais do-dos (country dances held in southern Louisiana), the Creole zydeco tradition, or the community hymn singing of northern Louisiana. In New Orleans, jazz has long been created and played by Creoles from Sidney Bechet to Jelly Roll Morton and the Marsalis family. Learn how to improve your students development and engagement so they can thrive in and out of the classroom. residents (52%) are Catholic, as are nearly half of those living in Extensive work on Creole Kinship has not been done except for historical genealogical studies. Two percent of multiracial Americans are Buddhist, and 1% each are Jewish, Muslim, and Hindu. of Ordinands to the Priesthood. Requested Catholic Church Statistics. There are many public parks and gardens, and the state is advertised as a sportsmans paradise for hunting and fishing. WebWhen Louisiana became a French crown colony in 1731, its population had grown from fewer than 1,000 to nearly 8,000, including slaves. There is a tendency to stay within or near Creole settlements and Neighborhoods. Orientation The states larger cities also host a number of minor league football, baseball, and ice hockey teams. The Creole "homeland" is semitropical French Louisiana in the southern part of the state along the Gulf of Mexico. of Pastoral Leadership Project, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, http://cara.georgetown.edu/CARAServices/requestedchurchstats.html, http://nineteensixty-four.blogspot.com/2015/04/data-check-catholic-population-changes.html, https://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/cultural-diversity/upload/cultural-diversity-cara-report-phase-1.pdf, https://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/cultural-diversity/hispanic-latino/resources/upload/BC-NatlStudyParishesHM-Rep1-201405-2.pdf. Zydeco: Creole Music and Culture in Rural Louisiana. The Super Bowl NFL championship game has been played on multiple occasions in New Orleans, and the Sugar Bowl of collegiate football is held there annually (generally early in January). Center for Applied Research in In the last two national yearly Alabama, West Virginia, and Catholic Population: 48.7 mPercent of US Population:23%, Catholic Population: 52.3 mPercent of US Population:23%, Catholic Population: 57.4 mPercent of US Population:23%, Catholic Population: 64.8 mPercent of US Population:23%, Catholic Population: 65.6 mPercent of US Population:21%, Catholic Population: 71.1 mPercent of US Population: 22%, There are 2.1 million African American, African or Afro-Caribbean (non-Hispanic) Catholics, representing about 5.6 % of the 37.7 million people of this race/ethnicity in the U.S.6, 4% of the priests ordained in 2015 are African American.7, 798 parishes are predominantly African American, 75 of which have African American pastors. January, 2015. https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/vocations/consecrated-life/upload/Profession-Class-2014-report-FINAL.PDF, [42]https://nrvc.net/download_article/5570/nrvc-cultural-diversity-report-final-revised-2.pdf?view=true. . Prominent Jews in Louisiana's political leadership have included Whig (later Democrat) Judah P. Benjamin (18111884), who represented Louisiana in the U.S. Senate prior to the American Civil War and then became the Confederate Secretary of State; Democrat Adolph Meyer (18421908), Confederate Army officer who represented the state in the U.S. House from 1891 until his death in 1908; and Republican Secretary of State Jay Dardenne (1954). 2005. Priesthood. WebDemographics of Louisiana. For example, When Louisiana became a French crown colony in 1731, its population had grown from fewer than 1,000 to nearly 8,000, including slaves. Louisiana Age Dependency 63.8 Age Dependency Ratio Old Age Dependency Ratio 38.5 Child Dependency Ratio Louisiana Sex Ratio Louisiana Population by Age WebDemographics of Louisiana. Rural Creole Mardi Gras influenced by Cajun culture involves more of a French mumming tradition of going from house to house with men dressed as women, devils, Whites, and strangers to the community. ", https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/vocations/consecrated-life/upload/Profession-Class-2014-report-FINAL.PDF, https://nrvc.net/download_article/5570/nrvc-cultural-diversity-report-final-revised-2.pdf?view=true. However, the date of retrieval is often important. Diversity in the Catholic Church in the United States, June 2014, 8. views about government aid to the poor among Catholics by stateviews about government aid to the poor among adults in Louisiana by religious group, % of Catholics who are in Louisiana who say abortion should be, Compare: Regular churchgoers are much more likely to support George W. Bush, while non-churchgoers overwhelmingly support John Kerry. [4] Louisianas population Was 4,657,757 in 2020 August 25, 2021 Written by: America Counts Staff America Counts today launches a state-by-state look at the demographic changes the new 2020 Census results reveal. Cap. Some families obtained land after the Civil War through "forty acres and a mule" redistribution. Catholic Population: 57.4 m Percent of US Population:23%. Journal of American Folklore, 102(403):45-67. Southern Louisiana has the largest per capita Black Catholic population in the country. 1995. 1995. In its mingling of styles to create a new music, jazz is analogous to Black Creole history and culture and is truly a Creole music that has transformed America and the world. Linguistic Affiliation. In southwestern Louisiana prairie farming regions, small settlements on ridges of high ground or pine forest "islands" may be entirely composed of descendants of Black Creoles who were freed or escaped from plantations to the east. Women in placage relationships to White planters and mercantilists were often granted freedom and, as such, became symbols of family settlement and economic power for succeeding generations. 2015 Catholic Louisiana is a South Central U.S. state, with a 2020 U.S. census resident population of 4,657,757, [2] and apportioned population of 4,661,468. Some families appear to have African-rooted nicknames such as Nene, Soso, or Guinee. Greek Orthodox < 1%. April 4, 2012. Gallup data show that roughly half of all Americans identify as The other major group includes dozens of bands of working-class men dressed in fanciful versions of Plains Indians costumes of beads, feathers, and ribbons. immigrant status among Catholics by stateimmigrant status among adults in Louisiana by religious group, % of Catholics who are in Louisiana who have a household income of, Compare: Two in three Utah residents are Mormon; [35] USCCB, Secretariat for Cultural Features. WebThe high proportion and influence of the Catholic population makes Louisiana distinct among Southern states. In 1779 the Spanish wrested Baton Rouge from the British and took all of West Florida, which then extended from the peninsula westward across the Gulf Coast to the Mississippi River. Frequently Requested Catholic Church The states with the lowest proportions of non-religious A state-by-state analysis of religious affiliation confirms this To a large exte, Culture Name Center for Applied Research in More than half of Rhode Island LOCATION: Gabon (western Central Africa) Protestant. 2013, http://www.census.gov/newsroom/facts-for-features/2014/cb14-ff22.html. Although English is increasingly the dominant language among Creoles under forty, all these language varieties have been and are spoken in different Creole communities today. [17] WebThe high proportion and influence of the Catholic population makes Louisiana distinct among Southern states. CARA, Cultural They were expanded and decorated according to the wealth and needs of the family. In a society where much is made of perceived race and free ancestors, Creole concern often focuses on powerful forebears who were free in the antebellum era. Christian churches are important influences on Louisianas cultural life, especially the Roman Catholic Church in southern Louisiana and the Baptists in northern Louisiana and among African Americans throughout the state. "Black Creoles of Louisiana Center of Applied Research in the The Louisiana Purchase, a vast acquisition of land for the country, included New Orleans and much of present-day Louisiana state, as well as most of the territory between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains. Catholic Church in the United States Report, June 2014. Diversity in the Catholic Church in the United States, June 2014, 5. Death and Afterlife. Catholic Population: 48.7 m Percent of US Population:23%. every three Mormons in the United States lives in Utah. In New Orleans, these "free people of color" were part of the larger Creole (that is, not American) social order in a range of class settings from French slaves, laborers, and craftsmen to mercantilists and planters. Although many Creoles reject Cajun sociocultural dominance reflected in the naming of the Region, there is no doubt that Cajuns and rural Black Creoles (outside New Orleans) have interacted culturally to a great degree as evidenced in Cajun/Creole music, food, and language. The heritage of Louisianas original inhabitants is present in the many Native American place-names that lend colour to the states map. Current religious affiliations of the people of Louisiana: Jewish communities exist in the state's larger cities, notably Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Many of Capotes earlier works were set in the South, while the bulk of Gainess novels were cast specifically in Louisiana. Early Louisiana census reports used racial terms like multre and fmc (free man of color) to indicate Black Creoles, but modern population studies do not specifically identify Black Creoles. Serious colonization by France began in 1702, when Pierre Le Moyne dIberville and his brother Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville struggled to found permanent settlements. belief in hell among Catholics by statebelief in hell among adults in Louisiana by religious group, Compare: in Hawaii and Alaska): *These results are based on telephone interviews with 62,744 Le Creole de Breaux Bridge, Louisiane. Center WebGender composition among Catholics who are in Louisiana. Mere reason is insufficient to convince us of its veracity: And whoever is moved by Faith to assent to it, is conscious of a continued miracle in his own person, which subverts all the principles of his understanding, and gives him a determination to believe what is most contrary to custom and experience.David Hume (17111776). Louisiana Age Dependency 63.8 Age Dependency Ratio Old Age Dependency Ratio 38.5 Child Dependency Ratio Louisiana Sex Ratio Louisiana Population by Age Today, oil-related jobs and construction and service industries are added to the mix. Boston College, CARA. There also are 585 pastoral centers and 2,618 missions and 58 new parishes opened their doors in 2014.52, The average number of registered households in U.S. parishes is estimated at 1,168.53More than 5,000 parishes or 29%, celebrate Mass in a language other than English. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCBs) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy. Encyclopedia of World Cultures. Connection to European ancestry is also often stressed, though since the civil rights era and in a time of heightened ethnic awareness, pride in African ancestry has increased. In has a rather large proportion of Mormons, as more than one in five New Orleans and many smaller communities have been able to support the arts and philanthropic institutions. ETHNONYMS: Afro-French, Black Creoles, Black French, Creoles, Croles, Croles Noirs, Creoles of Color. Industrial Arts. In rural French Louisiana, Creoles have historically been farmers and itinerant agricultural laborers raising sugar cane, rice, sweet potatoes, and, more recently, soybeans. Gallup data reveal that northeastern states have the greatest USCCB, Secretariat for Cultural "Catholic Ministry Formation Requested Catholic Church Statistics. Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. Recently, official ethnic organizations and events have emerged, such as Creole Inc. and the Louisiana Zydeco Festival. [9] Ministry in Catholic Parishes," 2014, 8. Arts. LANGUAGE: French; 45 local Niger-Congo languages As a result of the internal cultural diversity and overlapping boundaries of group affiliation that characterize southern Louisiana society as a whole, Creole ethnic identity is particularly fluid and situation-derived. Senegalese Special focus is placed upon marraine and parrain (godmother/godfather) relationships characteristic of Mediterranean societies. Thus, parishes rather than counties exist, with police juries as consular boards. Population Projections, 2014. In some areas candlelit ceremonies are held. [15] Almanac. 48% 52% Men Women 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%. Domnguez, Virginia R. (1986). the Apostolate, 1964 Blog, Diversification. 56,744: 658 sq mi (1,704 km 2) Allen Parish: 003: Oberlin: 1912: from part of Calcasieu Parish. USCCB, Secretariat for Cultural But dont come talking to me about the consolations of religion or I shall suspect that you dont understand.C.S. Idaho also The data suggest that one of with a Christian religion. http://nineteensixty-four.blogspot.com/2015/04/data-check-catholic-population-changes.html, [6] In civilian labor force, total, percent of population age 16 years+, 2017-2021: 58.7%: In civilian labor force, female, percent of population age 16 years+, 2017-2021: 55.1%: Total accommodation and food services sales, 2017 ($1,000) 14,553,042: Total health care and social assistance receipts/revenue, 2017 ($1,000) 34,618,006 Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. Statistics, http://cara.georgetown.edu/CARAServices/requestedchurchstats.html(accessed on 07/12/15). York and New Jersey have the highest proportion of Jews. [8] WebEarly Louisiana census reports used racial terms like multre and fmc (free man of color) to indicate Black Creoles, but modern population studies do not specifically identify Black Creoles. Color film; 56 minutes. religion is important in their lives. Despite this, the traditional gender gap still persists, with men overall more likely to support Bush and women more likely to support Kerry. proportion of Catholic residents. states range from 10 percentage points in the District of As social boundaries with African-Americans are increasingly blurred, marriage outside the Creole community in this direction can serve as an affirmation of connection to the Black American mainstream. Catholic Directory 2015, General Summary. Sterkx, Herbert E. (1972). Jazz conjoins European melodies and performance occasions (cotillion, ball, military parade) with African sensibilities of rhythm, ritual/festival performance (originally slave gatherings in public squares), and style. Over time its meaning extended to all people and things of Domestic rather than foreign origin. Diversity in the Catholic Church in the United States, The Class of 2015, Survey of Ordinands to the 17.1% were born in the U.S. and 10.1% were born outside the U.S. 22.8% of Millennials (born in 1982 or later) self-identify as Catholic. Post-World War II migrants fleeing racial discrimination and seeking Economic opportunity also established major Creole populations in the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas. Before its discovery by Christopher Columbus in 1493, the island was called Karukera ("island of beautifu, Culture Name Colonial/Continental French derives from the speakers of French among colonial settlers, planters, mercantilists, and non-Acadian farmer-laborers of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Although nowadays constituting only a plurality but not a majority of Louisiana's population, Catholics have continued to be influential in state politics. ." Historically, three varieties of French in Louisiana have been identified: Colonial/Continental French, Cajun French, and French Creole. Orientation The presence of a significant Jewish community well established by the early 20th century also made Louisiana unusual among Southern states, although South Carolina and Virginia also had influential populations in some of their major cities from the 18th and 19th centuries. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Owing to the high ratio of slaves to Whites and the nature of slavery in the French/Spanish regimes, New Orleans today is culturally the most African of American cities. Creole music is often associated with carnival occasions. preference from 2000 to 2004, a total of 62,744 interviews*. Royal charters covering the area had been granted, first to French merchant Antoine Crozat in 1712 and then in 1717 to the Scottish businessman John Law, whose Company of the West failed in 1720. Demography. June 22, 2004 In New Orleans, Creoles have tended to remain strongly affiliated with neighborhoods such as the Treme area near the French Quarter as well as in the Gentilly area. Much is made of the distinction between individuals who choose the street and club life over home and church life. Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA). This analysis includes Gallup data collected on religious Massachusetts, have Jewish populations above the national average. The Official Catholic Center for Applied Research in the INTRODUCTION less likely than people in other parts of the country to say CARA, Cultural Gallup Polls between 2000 and 2004. Probably the strongest carrier of African-based religious tradition in both Creole and non-Creole Black communities in New Orleans are the spiritual churches. Since French Creoles were the first settlers, planters and leaders of the territory, they have traditionally been well represented in politics. Thousands of years before European exploration, various indigenous peoples occupied the region that later became Louisiana. Creole Neighborhoods are centered around involvement in social clubs and benevolent societies as well as Catholic churches and schools.