Bitter Mardi Gras debate of race, class evolves 20 years later into a diverse celebration | NOLA.com

Bitter Mardi Gras debate of race, class evolves 20 years later into a diverse celebration | NOLA.com: Twenty years after much of New Orleans convulsed in bitter public debate over whether its beloved Mardi Gras was racist, elitist and exclusionary, new realities illuminate this year’s parading season: Today, hungry krewes unconcerned about race solicit membership on the Internet, offering downloadable applications and helpful credit-card authorizations.

Grass-roots walking organizations ranging from the 610 Stompers to ‘tit Rex and the Redbeans krewe have sprung up since Hurricane Katrina, allowing residents of all income levels to be full participants in Carnival without the costs associated with belonging to a major krewe.

And on Saturday, George Lafargue Jr., the son of an African-American produce vendor, will reign over Endymion, one of the most spectacular parades on the Carnival calendar.

At one level, it might seem the memorable 1992 debate over racial discrimination in Carnival sparked a revolution in New Orleans’ signature cultural treasure.

But krewe captains and historians say the moves toward openness that have overtaken Carnival in the last two decades have been largely organic.