WELCOME to “The Boulevard” - Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard, a New Orleans Urban Main Street and Cultural and Commercial district located just outside of downtown New Orleans in one of the city’s oldest and culturally rich neighborhoods - Central City.

Once a thriving mecca for New Orleans’ African American community, Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard, formerly known as Dryades Street is on its way to once again become a beacon for African American culture, history and commerce and so much more.

“The Boulevard” is home to cultural and business anchors Ashe Cultural Arts Center and The Handelman Building, aka Non-Profit Central, respectively. Other socially-conscious organizations have made the Oretha Castle Haley Main Street commercial district home, like Café Reconcile, a neighborhood restaurant providing culinary training for at-risk youth; and HOPE Community Credit Union whose mission is to improve lives through wealth creation and access to financial resources in marginalized communities throughout the midsouth.

The corridor was renamed in the late 1980’s for Oretha Castle Haley, a civil rights pioneer and Central City resident. Mrs. Haley was the founder of the New Orleans chapter of the ‘Congress for Racial Equality’ and dedicated her life to social justice issues including education and healthcare.

Today, planning is in process for a State Civil Rights Institute on the historic corridor. New restaurants and other retail businesses are opening and streetscape enhancements are underway, including markers of historic and culturally significant landmarks to complement the existing community art murals.