The Beach That Jim Crow Built
From 1939 to 1965, Lincoln Beach was the place where Black New Orleanians went to have fun — because it was the only place they were allowed. During the Jim Crow era of enforced racial segregation, the city's African American population was barred from Pontchartrain Beach, the popular whites-only amusement park on the lakefront. So the city created Lincoln Beach as a separate-but-unequal alternative, a recreation area for "colored" residents on a stretch of Lake Pontchartrain shoreline in eastern New Orleans.
The history is painful but the memories are complicated, because Lincoln Beach wasn't just a monument to injustice — it was also a place where families gathered, kids screamed on rides, and some of the greatest musicians in American history took the stage. The park operated in the shadow of segregation, but the people who went there built something vibrant and joyful within those constraints.
More Than Just a Beach
Lincoln Beach was modeled on Pontchartrain Beach, its whites-only counterpart, though on a smaller scale. It featured rides, games, restaurants, a swimming pool, and — most importantly — frequent live music performances that drew the biggest names in rhythm and blues. In the 1950s and 1960s, when New Orleans was the beating heart of R&B and early rock and roll, Lincoln Beach was one of the key venues where that music reached its audience.
Originally designated simply as a swimming area for Black New Orleanians, the park grew into a full amusement area with a Ferris wheel, roller coaster, and midway games. Families came for Sunday picnics. Teenagers came for the rides and the music. Church groups organized outings. Schools held their end-of-year celebrations there. For a generation of Black New Orleanians, Lincoln Beach was summer.
Closing and Legacy
Lincoln Beach closed in 1965, as the Civil Rights Movement dismantled the legal framework of segregation that had created it. When Pontchartrain Beach was finally integrated, the economic rationale for Lincoln Beach evaporated. The site fell into disrepair, the rides were removed, and the shoreline that had echoed with music and laughter returned to quiet.
For decades, Lincoln Beach sat abandoned and largely forgotten by the wider city. But in recent years, efforts to preserve and memorialize the site have gained momentum. The stories of Lincoln Beach — the music, the community, the resilience of a people who turned a segregated shoreline into a place of joy — are too important to lose. Plans for redevelopment have been discussed, though the future of the site remains uncertain.
What's not uncertain is the legacy. Lincoln Beach represents both the worst of what segregation imposed and the best of how a community responded. The families who went there didn't just endure Jim Crow — they built a place worth remembering.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lincoln Beach
Why was Lincoln Beach created?
Lincoln Beach was created in 1939 as a segregated recreation area for New Orleans' African American population, who were barred from the whites-only Pontchartrain Beach amusement park during the Jim Crow era.
What was at Lincoln Beach?
The park featured rides including a Ferris wheel and roller coaster, midway games, restaurants, a swimming pool, and frequent live music performances by major R&B and rock and roll artists.
When did Lincoln Beach close?
Lincoln Beach closed in 1965, around the time that desegregation efforts opened Pontchartrain Beach to all races. Without the enforced segregation that created demand for a separate facility, the park could no longer sustain itself.
Can you visit the Lincoln Beach site today?
The former Lincoln Beach site exists along the lakefront in eastern New Orleans. While the amusement park infrastructure is long gone, preservation and memorial efforts are ongoing.
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