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The illegitimate daughter of a freed slave and a wealthy plantation owner, Marie Laveau and her voodoo practice have kept people spellbound – literally, if the stories are true – for more than two centuries.
Much of her life is filled with mysteries, like the disappearance of her husband and two daughters, that continue to fascinate the public. Angela Bassett transformed Laveau into a pop culture icon in American Horror Story: Coven, and her tomb is the most visited in New Orleans.
Whether you consider her a voodoo priestess, a feminist trailblazer or a community activist, Laveau remains the spirit of New Orleans.
– Lois Alter Mark, The 100 Companies