Jerome "Big Duck" Smith, a Freedom Rider, civil rights leader, community organizer, culture bearer, and mentor passed Friday, August 21, 2026 at the age of 87.

Smith dedicated his life to justice and to preserving the culture of New Orleans. As a young man, he participated in sit-ins, boycotts, and Freedom Rides during the Civil Rights Movement, and was an integral member of the Congress of Racial Equality (C.O.R.E.). In 1968, he co-founded Tambourine & Fan to connect young people with the history, traditions, and cultural life of New Orleans.

A longtime leader in Treme, 7th Ward, and beyond, Smith played an important role in the preservation and resurgence of the city's brass band, second line, and Black Masking Indian traditions. Through Tambourine & Fan, he helped nurture a generation of young musicians who became central to the New Orleans brass band revival. He also helped create Super Sunday, bringing young people into the streets alongside brass bands and Mardi Gras Indians and helping establish the celebration as a vital expression of New Orleans’ Black cultural traditions.

For Big Duck, cultural preservation and community advocacy were inseparable. His legacy of resistance, cultural pride, and community care will continue to shape New Orleans for generations to come.

WWOZ extends our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and all who were touched by his leadership and generosity.

Services have not yet been announced.