Carolyn Cushenberry, 74, who has operated the First and Last Stop bar at Pauger and Marais Streets for a quarter-century, stands outside her longtime 7th Ward spot, which was recently sold out from underneath her. (PHOTO: Gus Bennett | The Lens)

Kermit Ruffins Rallies Support for First and Last Stop Amid Eviction Fight

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Kermit Ruffins hosted a benefit on Dec. 2 to support the First and Last Stop, the 7th Ward bar that has been Black-owned for 75 years and remains a cornerstone for Black Masking Indian culture. Ruffins and The BBQ Swingers performed outside the Pauger Street spot in what he promoted as a community jam, with a Mardi Gras Indian practice scheduled to follow. Donations were collected to help bar owner Carolyn Cushenberry as she navigates an ongoing eviction battle.

Reporting from The Lens revealed that the building’s new owner, Daniel Sellers, posted a typed eviction notice on Nov. 1 giving Cushenberry ten days to leave, later cutting the power and locking the door. Cushenberry told the outlet that Sellers twice directed a racial slur at her, an accusation he denies. Police advised Sellers to handle the matter in civil court, but he reportedly continued appearing at the property and sending harassing messages.

Ruffins, who had once hoped to take over the space at First and Last Stop, said he instead planned to help cover any back rent and use the Dec. 2 performance to keep the bar (and its longtime owner) in place.