In the decades following the Civil War, African Americans throughout the South formed many fraternal and benevolent organizations in order to collectively increase their social, economic, and political power. The One Hundred Members’ Debating Benevolent Association was incorporated in Bay St. Louis in 1894. According to its charter, “the purpose of this Association is to assist its members when sick and bury its dead in a respectable manner and to knit friendship.” The charter stipulated that “the Association may from time to time give entertainments for the purpose of replenishing the treasury.” Despite its name, the association was founded by twelve men, and the nature of its “debates” appears to be lost to time. (In other organizations, the initials D.B.A. often stood for Death and Burial Association.) By the 1950s the functions of many benevolent organizations were supplanted by insurance companies, although in New Orleans they have survived as social aid and pleasure clubs that organize annual parades. The Disabled American Veterans acquired the 100 Men D.B.A Hall in the mid-1970s. After Hurricane Katrina the hall was slated to be razed until Jesse and Kerrie Loya stepped in to purchase it in 2006. The Loyas restored it with the intent of creating a nonprofit community center and venue. It operates today as an ongoing live blues locale.