The Marsalis Mansion Motel opened in 1943 in a converted chicken barn. The motel was owned by Ellis Marsalis, Sr., the patriarch of the New Orleans jazz musical family. It offered luxury accommodations to African Americans during segregation. Located on River Road in Jefferson Parish, the motel hosted many famous guests, including Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Ray Charles and Thurgood Marshall.
During the 1950s, the nightclub, the Music Haven, was located on the motel’s grounds. The motel closed in 1986 and was condemned in 1993 and razed. The historical marker was dedicated in 2015.
Historical Marker Inscription
Opened at 110 Shrewsbury Road in 1944 to serve African Americans during segregation. Proprietor Ellis L. Marsalis, Sr., was Jazz musician family patriarch & Civil Rights pioneer. Closed in 1986.
Location
3511 River Road, Jefferson, Louisiana 70121, United States
29° 57′ 28.350″ N, 90° 9′ 42.660″ W
Historical Markers of the World 