Every Sunday afternoon they brought the drums along with other musical instruments and went to the meeting point to have fun, make music and dance. Congo Square was a place where slaves became Africans again. These afternoon gatherings continued until the 1880s. To this day, Congo Square not only holds very special importance to African Americans, but has also played an important role in New Orleans' jazz heritage. Why New Orleans? In the 20th century, the omnipresence of music in New Orleans is undeniable. This place is widely recognized as the birthplace of jazz music. There are a few existing theories that explain jazz music originating in New Orleans. One of these is known as the “uptown/downtown” theory. It incorporates the fusion of uptown-residing black musicians with downtown-residing Creoles of Color, as they were called. Creoles of color were educated people of mixed black and white ancestry who were more privileged than blacks. They lived primarily in downtown New Orleans, otherwise known as the French Quarter. In contrast, blacks lived uptown and were predominantly unskilled workers. However, throughout the 1880s, whites gradually increased restrictions against Creoles of color and reduced their social status. Thus, in 1894, segregation removed the distinction between colored Creoles and blacks. This theory suggests that jazz music emerged through the chemistry between both groups