History was made and hopefully a new tradition established this past weekend when royalty from the MCCA and Pepe Mardi Gras organizations met for the first time at a common event.

MCCA King XXXII Will Branch and Queen Carmen Jones welcomed Pepe King Master Sgt W. Wayne Peters and Queen Tess R. Peters, Wayne’s wife, during a groundbreaking encounter at Jones’ residence in the Rio community this past Saturday afternoon.

The annual King and Queen Party is traditionally a gathering of the MCCA dukes and other invited guests shortly before the parade, which this year is scheduled Feb. 18. Normally a more formal affair, Branch and Jones opted for a less casual approach and dubbed it The Royal Picnic. In a stroke of genius, the guest list included dignitaries from Pepe, which rolls through Franklinton on Feb. 19.

Although MCCA, a predominantly white organization in Bogalusa, with the exception of one African-American den, and Pepe, with a largely African-American membership in Franklinton, have each paraded for years this past weekend is believed to be the first time the two courts officially gathered in one place. Officials from both organizations should make certain it’s not the last.

The sight of MCCA and Pepe standing arm-in-arm carried a significant impact. Even if for only a brief time, racial lines were blurred, pigmentation irrelevant.

For four hours Saturday, as gathering storm clouds cast a gray pall over Washington Parish, what mattered most was two organizations striking a chord for racial harmony and unity.

During the event Pepe officials mingled with those from MCCA, perhaps comparing notes on the difficulty of maintaining a strong Carnival organization during these uncertain economic times.

Or perhaps they were just discussing the wealth of diverse culinary offerings presented.

Nevertheless, they were there, mingling, talking, smiling. And isn’t that what Mardi Gras is all about?

Now, Washington Parish can cast a prideful eye on its own Meeting of the Courts.