27-01-2025
Meet New Orleans' first coffee barista Rose
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Roasting coffee beans is what Felton Jones does daily.
He is the king of caffeine at PJ's Coffee of New Orleans.
And at New Orleans Roast, the official brew of WGNO Good Morning New Orleans.
WGNO Good Morning New Orleans features reporter Bill Wood gets together with Felton Jones for another royal introduction.
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Meet Rose Nicaud.
She was 'Coffee Rose', the original barista for New Orleans and for all of America.
'So this lady is known by many, locally, as the person that introduced coffee to New Orleans,' said Jones.
Rose Nicaud was born into slavery in 1812.
She was sold six times before she bought her own freedom at the age of 28.
And that's when she started selling coffee at her very own coffee stand in the French Quarter.
At the Historic New Orleans Collection, Family Historian Jari Honora says, 'She was the most famous of all these individuals who had coffee stands throughout the city.'
Felton Jones says there's one word that describes Rose Nicaud.
And that is, pioneer.
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'This lady was the pioneer of coffee for New Orleans and for the country,' said Jones.
Nicaud died at the age of 68 and is now buried in St. Louis Cemetary.
'Her coffee was like the benediction that follows after a prayer or if you prefer the Benedictine after dinner,' said Honora.
At WGNO, we celebrate the life of Rose Nicaud as we honor Black History a slave, sold 6 times | Meet New Orleans' first coffee barista Rose
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