Join us for an afternoon of elegance, culture, and history at the inaugural Wraps of Color and Resistance: Geles, Turbans, and Tignons, an annual fundraiser benefiting Dillard University’s Department of Humanities Curriculum Scholars.
Join us for an afternoon of elegance, culture, and history at the inaugural Free People of Color High Tea and Garden Party, an annual fundraiser benefiting Dillard University’s Department of Humanities Curriculum Scholars. This year’s event takes place on Saturday, April 19, 2025, and will celebrate the vibrant legacy of New Orleans’ Free People of Color through the powerful symbolism of headwraps—geles, turbans, and tignons—as expressions of beauty, resilience, and heritage.
![A West Indian Flower Girl and Two Other Free Women of Color (c. 1769) by Agostino Brunias. Yale Center for British Art.[1]](https://www.dillard.edu/wp-content/uploads/440px-Agostino_Brunias_-_A_West_Indian_Flower_Girl_and_Two_other_Free_Women_of_Color_-_Google_Art_Project-232x300.jpeg)
New Orleans has long been a city of rich cultural intersections, shaped by the dynamic contributions of the Free People of Color. These skilled artisans, business owners, intellectuals, and community leaders played a vital role in shaping the city’s identity. Among their many traditions, the tignon stands as a symbol of both resistance and pride.
In the late 18th century, Spanish colonial governor Esteban Rodríguez Miró issued laws meant to suppress the visibility and status of Free Women of Color, requiring them to cover their hair with a tignon—a headwrap meant to signify their social position. However, rather than diminishing their presence, these women turned the mandate into a fashion statement, using vibrant fabrics and elaborate wrapping styles to reclaim their identity with dignity and distinction.
This event is more than a celebration—it is a call to embrace the Sankofa principle, an African concept that reminds us to look back at our history in order to move forward into our future. By reflecting on the resilience, ingenuity, and cultural impact of the Free People of Color, we honor their legacy while creating new opportunities for the next generation.
At this year’s event, we pay tribute to the tignon alongside other culturally significant headwraps from across the African diaspora. The garden party will feature:
Proceeds from the High Tea and Garden Party will directly support Dillard University’s Department of Humanities Curriculum Scholars, fostering academic excellence and cultural research. By coming together in this celebration of heritage, we reaffirm our commitment to preserving the past and uplifting the next generation of leaders, scholars, and cultural stewards.
Wrap yourself in history. Wear your tignon, turban, or gele with pride, and join us in celebrating a legacy of resilience, beauty, and empowerment.
For more information, please contact the Office of Communications at dillardcommunications@dillard.edu
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