Zulu is the
main African-American krewe. It was founded in 1909 as a parody of
Rex and
other krewes. Zulu wears a lard can and holds a banana stalk instead of a
scepter. Zulu was first a walking parade and added floats on mounted wagons
decorated with leaves and moss to the parade in 1915. In 1916, the men
officially called themselves the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club.
Zulu is the first parade for African-Americans, and the first to allow
other races to join. Zulu has the first signature throw ever, the
hand-painted Zulu coconut. In 1949, Louis Armstrong reigned as the
king. He was the first celebrity monarch of a parade.
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