HIGHLIGHTS

• Historic True Friends Hall in Donaldsonville receives $1.3 million state grant to restore largest remaining benevolent society hall in Louisiana
• Legendary musicians Fats Domino, Irma Thomas, James Brown, and Plas Johnson performed at this vital stop on the "chitlin circuit" during segregation
• Air Products contributes $175,000 to transform 1897 building into music hall of fame and academy honoring Louisiana's Black musical heritage
• River Road African American Museum co-founder Darryl Hambrick leads restoration after 26-year effort moving historic Rosenwald School
• Project will create new performance stage, music academy, and cultural center for Donaldsonville community currently lacking arts resources

True Friends Hall Rising: $1.3 Million Restoration Brings Louisiana Music Legends Home

Historic Donaldsonville venue that hosted Fats Domino and James Brown during segregation era gets new life as cultural center and music academy

DONALDSONVILLE, La. (KPEL News) — According to River Road African American Museum co-founder Darryl Hambrick, True Friends Hall in Donaldsonville was once "the pulse of the community" where Black families could find help, celebrate milestones, and enjoy legendary musical performances during the segregation era.

Now, with a $1.3 million grant from the state of Louisiana and corporate partnerships, the historic 1897 building is being restored as a music hall of fame and academy to honor the rich musical heritage that once filled its walls.

Get our free mobile app

From Pulse of the Community to Musical Monument

Built in 1897, True Friends Hall is believed to be the oldest and largest benevolent society hall still standing in Louisiana. During segregation, the hall served as far more than an entertainment venue—it was a vital community resource where Black families gathered for mutual aid, celebrations, debutante balls, and religious gatherings.

"This was the pulse of the community. You could come here and get help. You could also come here and have a great time," Hambrick explained. The hall provided essential services during an era when African Americans faced systemic exclusion. "Remember, this was a time black folks couldn't get things like insurance. These organizations supported families," according to the recent restoration coverage.

Lifelong Donaldsonville resident Roy Quezaire Jr., who was a member of the True Friends Mutual Benevolent Association, remembered standing on crates to see dances when the stage was still in use. "It was that helping hand here in this community. If a family needed assistance with getting their prescriptions filled, they needed any other type of medications, if they needed assistance with going to pay for their doctors visits, the True Friends stepped up," Quezaire recalled.

Louisiana Legends Who Graced the True Friends Stage

True Friends Hall's most celebrated role was as a major stop on the "chitlin circuit" between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, providing safe haven for Black performers during segregation. The venue welcomed legendary musicians including Fats Domino, Irma Thomas, and James Brown, who found food, lodging, and audiences in the segregated South.

"Donaldsonville was a major stop between Baton Rouge and New Orleans for those black artists who were making their way into New Orleans; you couldn't stay in hotels, restaurants. Here at True Friends, you got a meal, you got a place to stay and had a great time," Hambrick said.

Among the local legends connected to the venue is Plas Johnson, the original saxophonist for the Pink Panther theme song, who was born in Donaldsonville and represents the area's significant contribution to American popular music. Johnson was born in Donaldsonville and later became one of the most sought-after studio musicians in California during the golden age of recording.

The Chitlin Circuit: Louisiana's Role in American Music History

The chitlin circuit represented a network of performance venues throughout the South and Midwest that provided commercial and cultural acceptance for African-American musicians during segregation. Named after the soul food dish made from pig intestines, the circuit sustained Black musicians and entertainers from the 1930s through the 1960s.

READ MORE About Louisiana's Musical Legacy: 

• Swamp Pop: The Forgotten Louisiana Music Genre That Still Thrives
• 10 Must-Visit Music Venues in Louisiana That Keep the State’s Sound Alive

According to music historians, venues ranged from small juke joints in rural areas to nightclubs and higher-end theaters in larger cities. The circuit played a crucial role in popularizing blues, jazz, rhythm and blues, and rock and roll, with many artists who later achieved national success beginning their careers on these stages.

True Friends Hall's location made it strategically important as entertainers traveled the Louisiana corridor. The circuit emerged during segregation as a means of escape, offering safe spaces for Black musicians, performers, and the community when they were excluded from mainstream white venues.

State Investment Meets Corporate Partnership in $1.3 Million Restoration

The restoration effort received a major boost with a $1.3 million grant from the state of Louisiana, marking significant public investment in preserving African American cultural heritage. This funding represents recognition of the hall's importance to Louisiana's musical and civil rights history.

Adding to the state support, Air Products contributed $175,000 through a partnership with the River Road African American Museum. The donation comes from Air Products' Commercial Executive Director for the Louisiana Clean Energy Complex, demonstrating the company's commitment to local community development.

"This partnership was created to foster an appreciation for traditional music form and encourage continued engagement for Louisiana musicians to a town currently devoid of arts resources," said L'Oréal Evans, executive director of River Road African American Museum.

Danna Leblanc, Air Products' Commercial Executive Director, said the company is "inspired by their commitment and we're looking forward to continuing this partnership with the Museum as part of our enduring commitment to Louisiana and our local communities."

Vision for New Music Hall of Fame and Academy

The restoration plans include building a new performance stage, office space, and a music academy. Through the music academy, the local community will have a space to gather and honor the legacy of legendary local musicians who once performed in the hall.

Architectural plans developed by the EDR team show the first floor will house a large event space, food service, and additional space for a future tenant, while the second story will hold office space.

The project aims to create what organizers call a cultural economy for Donaldsonville. Over the next 12 months, RRAAM hopes to reach its $1.3 million goal to support the hall's stabilization, architectural planning and design, and refurbishing.

Darryl Hambrick's Decades-Long Mission to Preserve Black History

Leading the restoration effort is Darryl Hambrick, co-founder of the River Road African American Museum alongside his sister Kathe Hambrick. His commitment to preserving Louisiana's African American heritage spans decades, with his most notable previous achievement being the 26-year effort to move and restore a historic Rosenwald School.

The Rosenwald School project demonstrates Hambrick's persistence and expertise in historic preservation. Of Louisiana's original 400 Rosenwald Schools, only four remain, making the museum's preservation of one of these structures particularly significant.

"I hope it doesn't take 26 years to do this building because I don't have 26 years," Hambrick said with characteristic humor about the True Friends Hall project, reflecting both his advanced age and determination to see the restoration completed more quickly.

The River Road African American Museum was founded in 1994 by Kathe Hambrick as an institution to educate the community about the lives of African Americans in rural South Louisiana, with Darryl providing crucial support throughout its development.

Donaldsonville's Rich African American Heritage

Donaldsonville holds the distinction of electing Pierre Caliste Landry as the first African American mayor in the United States in 1868. This historic achievement reflects the city's significant role in African American political and cultural development during Reconstruction.

The city once served as a cultural hub for the region. "The history here is the same history that you would find on the other side of the river and up and down the river," Hambrick explained. "Those families were connected. They came to Donaldsonville to shop. There were movie theaters, there was a cultural Mecca for that time and period."

The city's decline began after infrastructure changes redirected commerce. "After the interstate was built across the river and traffic began to move to the east bank, Donaldsonville began to slowly decline, but leaving remnants of a wonderful existence from the past," Hambrick noted.

Air Products' Community Investment Strategy

Air Products is developing the Louisiana Clean Energy Complex, a multibillion-dollar project that represents the company's largest investment in the United States. The facility will create 170 permanent jobs with an average salary of $93,000 annually, plus 2,000 construction jobs during the building phase.

The True Friends Hall donation is part of a broader community investment strategy that includes a $1 million annual commitment to communities bordering Lake Maurepas through the Air Products Lake Maurepas Community Fund. The company has also supported local STEM education with a $15,000 donation to Teach For America's efforts in Donaldsonville.

What This Means for Louisiana's Cultural Future

The True Friends Hall restoration represents more than historic preservation—it's an investment in Louisiana's cultural economy and educational opportunities. By creating a music academy and performance space, the project will provide resources for aspiring musicians while honoring the legends who shaped American popular music.

The project also demonstrates how corporate partnerships can support cultural preservation efforts. Air Products' investment shows how major employers can contribute to community development beyond direct job creation, supporting the cultural infrastructure that makes communities vibrant and attractive.

Get our free mobile app

For Donaldsonville, the restoration offers hope for cultural revitalization. The combination of state funding and corporate partnership provides a model for how historic preservation can contribute to economic development while honoring the communities that created significant cultural contributions.

As Louisiana continues to recognize and preserve its diverse cultural heritage, projects like True Friends Hall ensure that the stories of resilience, creativity, and community that defined the segregation era are not lost but celebrated and passed on to new generations.

Want to know more about Louisiana's music legacy? Here's a taste.