This home movie captures scenes of the Kennedy family in New Orleans for Mardi Gras in 1969. The theme for the Rex Parade that year was “Genesis Through Gemini,” likely referencing NASA’s Project Gemini and capitalizing on the country’s enthusiasm for the space program that decade. Elaborate floats, still built on wooden wagons, pass the excited members of the crowd who wave their hands wildly for Mardi Gras beads. Following, the Kennedy family records the television as highlights of the Rex Ball, another Mardi Gras event, are broadcast. In the era before VCRs and DVRs, a person who wanted to record an event off of the television could do so by pointing the film camera towards the screen. Events captured in this manner tend to be significant world events that the filmmaker felt strongly about saving for the future.

TFC home movie home movies 1960s 1960’s New Orleans Louisiana costume costumes uniform uniforms military armed forces corps parade parades soldier soldiers march marches marching Rex Parade Rex Rex Organization Krewe New Orleans Carnival Krewe Rex’s Proclamation carnival carnivals King Rex King of the Carnival Mardi Gras float floats astronaut astronauts dinosaur dinosaurs mermaid marching band

marching bands beads Mardi Gras beads throw throws throwing dance dances dancing dancer dancers song songs music musical instruments musical instrument instruments Genesis Through Gemini Leif Ericson theme crowd crowds wave waves waving The Times-Picayune headline headlines Lederhosen child children kid kids television TV Rex Ball 1969 Rex Ball pageant pageants

crown crowns ball gown ball gowns gown gowns tuxedo tuxedos formal coronation royalty court record records recording queen queens