The WWI order that forced jazz musicians out of New Orleans in 1917

How Military Orders Killed Storyville and Scattered Jazz

New Orleans once had a legal red-light district where jazz thrived.

From 1897 to 1917, Storyville packed fancy brothels and backstreet clubs into a few blocks near Basin Street. Jelly Roll Morton played piano in high-end spots while bands filled dance halls with new sounds each night.

Then came World War I. The Navy and War Department banned vice near military bases, and on November 12, 1917, Storyville shut down for good.

Mayor Behrman put up a fight: “You can make it illegal, but you can’t make it unpopular. ” Hundreds of musicians lost steady work and moved north to Chicago, taking New Orleans jazz with them.

The New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park now tells this story of how a military order changed American music forever.

Jazz Musicians Packed Storyville’s Venues Before the Shutdown

Basin Street was the center of New Orleans’ red-light district, where fancy brothels like Lulu White’s Mahogany Hall hired the best pianists around.

Jelly Roll Morton and Manuel Manetta played ragtime in these upscale places, making good money while playing for rich customers. The rougher back streets had saloons and dance halls where bands played non-stop.

Pete Lala’s became the go-to spot to hear the top musicians in town. Players moved between jobs, working day and night to keep cash flowing.

War Changed Everything for New Orleans Musicians

America joined World War I in April 1917, bringing surprise problems for New Orleans musicians. War Secretary Newton Baker quickly banned brothels within five miles of any military base.

Navy Secretary Josephus Daniels made his own five-mile no-prostitution zone around naval bases. Military leaders worried soldiers would get sidetracked by Storyville when they needed focused troops.

These wartime rules meant to help military readiness ended up changing American music forever.

The Feds Wouldn’t Take No for an Answer

Navy Secretary Daniels told Mayor Behrman bluntly: close Storyville or the military would step in. The city council pushed back, not wanting to shut down a district that brought big money to New Orleans.

With Navy staff all over the city, federal officials had the advantage. They warned they’d send in troops if local leaders kept stalling.

The clash between city pride and federal power reached its peak as officials faced a tough choice.

Mayor Behrman’s Words Live On While Storyville Died

“You can make it illegal, but you can’t make it unpopular.” Mayor Martin Behrman’s famous comeback became what people remember most as he fought federal demands. Despite his clever resistance, Behrman knew he was fighting a battle he couldn’t win.

Federal pressure crushed local opposition as Washington made clear this wasn’t up for debate. City leaders finally accepted they couldn’t beat the combined strength of the Army and Navy during wartime.

The Clock Struck Midnight on New Orleans’ Music Scene

Storyville closed at midnight on November 12, 1917, ending twenty years of legal prostitution in New Orleans.

Madams, sex workers, bartenders, and musicians got kicked out as federal authorities watched the district empty. Though prostitution became illegal, some venues tried to stay open by only offering music and drinks.

The sudden change left hundreds wondering what would happen next. The district that helped create early jazz now faced an unclear future.

Hundreds of Musicians Suddenly Needed New Gigs

The shutdown left jazz players scrambling for work as their steady Storyville jobs disappeared. Some stayed in town, finding spots in tourism or playing at local events and parades.

Others took jobs on riverboats traveling the Mississippi. But many musicians saw the truth – New Orleans couldn’t support all its musical talent anymore.

Limited jobs pushed many to look north for better chances, setting up jazz to spread across America.

King Oliver Showed Others the Way North

Cornet master Joe “King” Oliver left New Orleans in early 1918, heading to Chicago’s growing music scene.

His move came after police arrested him at the Winter Garden in June 1918, giving him one more reason to leave the South. Oliver had built a strong name leading bands with Kid Ory, playing shows across New Orleans.

His move north opened doors for other musicians to follow, creating a path from New Orleans to Chicago that would change American music.

Top Bandleaders Took Their Sounds to New Cities

The talent exodus grew as more bandleaders left town.

Piano genius Jelly Roll Morton went west to California in 1917, bringing New Orleans sounds to Pacific crowds. Freddie Keppard, a cornet standout, settled in Chicago around the same time.

Trombonist Kid Ory moved to Los Angeles in 1919. These weren’t solo trips – most bandleaders brought their musicians along.

Each departure weakened New Orleans’ hold as jazz’s only home while building new music hotspots across America.

Chicago Welcomed Jazz with Open Arms

The Windy City became jazz’s new headquarters as musicians found better pay and more welcoming crowds. Harlem also grew into a major center, sparking the broader cultural boom of the Harlem Renaissance.

Black musicians learned they could earn more money playing for northern audiences eager to hear the exciting new sounds from the South. The music started changing too, as New Orleans styles mixed with northern sounds.

Chicago clubs jumped with the music of southern talent.

Musicians Joined the Larger Wave of Black Migration

Jazz players became part of the massive movement of African Americans leaving the South between 1915 and 1930. Nearly 1.

2 million Black southerners moved north during this period – about 500,000 from 1915-1918 and another 700,000 through the 1920s.

Musicians followed the same routes and faced the same challenges as other migrants seeking better opportunities and escaping southern racism.

Their journey mirrored the larger Great Migration story, though their musical gifts gave them a unique place in this massive population shift.

New Orleans’ Loss Created America’s Musical Gain

Jazz spread across the country as musicians scattered from their Storyville roots. Navy policies unintentionally launched jazz musicians onto riverboats and into cities like Memphis, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Chicago. What started as a local New Orleans style quickly evolved into regional variations as players adapted to new audiences.

The music that had been born in the cramped quarters of Storyville now filled dance halls nationwide. The forced closure of a small district in New Orleans ended up giving America its first truly national musical form.

Visiting New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, Louisiana

You can explore the story of Storyville’s 1917 closure and the Great Jazz Migration at several spots around New Orleans. Start at the visitor center on 419 Decatur Street, open Tuesday-Saturday 9:30am-4:30pm.

The Jazz Museum at 400 Esplanade Avenue costs $11 and shows how musicians left for northern cities. Visit Congo Square in Louis Armstrong Park for free to see where enslaved Africans first gathered for music.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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