NEW ORLEANS, LA — The New Orleans City Council has drafted an ordinance to rename the Tremé Recreation Community Center, located at 900 North Villere Street, as the Jerome Smith Recreation Community Center in honor of legendary civil rights leader, Freedom Rider, mentor, and community champion Jerome “Big Duck” Smith.
Smith, who passed away on August 21, 2026, at the age of 87, devoted his life to advancing civil rights, preserving New Orleans culture and mentoring generations of young people.
A New Orleans native, Smith became involved in labor and grassroots organizing before joining the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), participating in demonstrations, picket lines and lunch-counter sit-ins challenging segregation. In 1961, he joined the Freedom Rides to confront segregation in interstate travel throughout the American South.
Smith later participated in the historic May 1963 meeting between civil rights leaders and U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, where participants spoke directly about the violence, discrimination and inequality facing Black Americans during the Civil Rights Movement.
In 1968, Smith and Rudy Lombard co-founded Tamborine & Fan, a youth organization based at the Tremé Recreation Community Center. Through the organization, Smith created a space for generations of young people to learn about New Orleans history and cultural traditions, including Mardi Gras Indian culture, brass bands and street parading, while emphasizing discipline, self-worth, physical activity and community responsibility.
His dedication to the young people of Tremé earned him the affectionate nickname “Big Duck,” as neighborhood children were often seen following him through the community like ducklings.
“Jerome "Big Duck" Smith’s legacy is woven into the heart and soul of Treme. Naming this center in his honor is more than a tribute—it is a recognition of a man whose commitment to community, culture, and the people of New Orleans continues to inspire generations,” said District C Councilmember Freddie King III. “ I knew Mr. Smith personally. He is someone whom I admired and from whom I drew inspiration. His passion, vision, and dedication left a lasting impression on me and on so many others. May the Jerome Smith Center stand as a lasting reminder of his remarkable life, his service, and the difference one person can make.”
“Jerome ‘Big Duck’ Smith understood that changing a city starts with investing in its people, especially the next generation,” said Council Vice President Matthew Willard. “He gave young people a place to belong, to understand their history, and to believe in what was possible for their future. The Tremé Recreation Community Center was part of that work, and naming it in his honor is about more than putting his name on a building. It is a way to recognize what Jerome Smith gave to this community and carry that example forward for generations to come.”
Under the proposed ordinance, the Tremé Recreation Community Center would officially become the Jerome Smith Recreation Community Center. The ordinance has been filed with the Clerk of Council for consideration at the Council’s regular meeting on September 17th.
Read the proposed ordinance here.