New Orleans · Est. 1899
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Carnival’s First Lady
Founder & Captain · Krewe of Iris 1917 · Krewe of Venus 1941
Aminthe Laudumiey Nungesser · Courtesy Arthur Hardy Collection
Born in 1899 into a Creole family in New Orleans, Aminthe Laudumiey Nungesser was more than a mother of three with five grandchildren — she was a pioneer, a visionary, and a trailblazer who helped reshape the cultural landscape of her city.
In 1917, at just eighteen years old, she founded the Krewe of Iris — a bold statement at a time when women could not vote, drive, or even smoke in public. Her decision to carve out a place for women in the male-dominated world of Mardi Gras was revolutionary, igniting a movement that would grow in strength and influence over the decades. Today more than 10,000 women belong to women’s Mardi Gras krewes, and Iris stands as the largest krewe in all of Carnival, with nearly 4,000 members.
She never sought recognition or fame. But in the grand tapestry of Mardi Gras, her thread — woven with determination, love, and the indomitable spirit of New Orleans — is undeniably one of the strongest.
Into a Creole family whose business was the care of others — the funeral home trade.
At eighteen, at the advent of the First World War, she creates a space for women in Carnival — a pivotal moment in Mardi Gras history.
Against the backdrop of World War II, she makes history again: on Sunday, February 23, 1941, the first all-feminine pageant rolls down St. Charles Avenue to Canal Street, with the theme of Goddesses.
After twelve years leading both krewes from her home on Baronne Street, she entrusts Iris to Irma Strode, former queen of Venus, and keeps Venus — choosing to be the grandmother she wanted to be.
Iris is the largest krewe in Mardi Gras. Her life is the subject of an exhibit at the Louisiana State Museum at the Presbytère.
Carnival’s First Lady — a granddaughter’s tribute
Captain Aminthe Nungesser led the Krewes of Iris and Venus for over three decades of Carnival.
“Aminthe was not just a captain of krewes; she was a captain of change, navigating the uncharted waters of gender equality in a society steeped in tradition.”Sandy Furano · Carnival’s First Lady, Mardi Gras Guide 2025
Aminthe’s life is featured in an exhibit at the Louisiana State Museum at the Presbytère on Jackson Square, New Orleans.