Marie Laveau

Marie Catherine Laveau was a Louisiana Creole practitioner of Voodoo renowned in New Orleans. Although different sources disagree on her actual date of birth, some placing it as early as 1794, it is generally accepted that she was actually born in 1801. Very little is known with any certainty about the life of Marie Laveau. It is believed Laveau and her surviving daughter had the same name, her daughter being named Marie Laveau II.

Historical Laveau
It is not known which (if either) had done more to establish the voodoo queen reputation. Marie Laveau ll was believed to have three children whom she shipped off to the Dominican Republic after threats were made to burn them alive. Folklore says at one time she also became a hairdresser, to high standing locals of New Orleans and gained profitable information from working in her clientele's homes.

According to official New Orleans vital records, Marie Glapion Lavau died on June 15th, 1881, aged 98. The different spellings of her surname may result from a casual approach to spelling, and her age at death from conflicting accounts of her birthdate. Marie Laveau is generally believed to have been buried in plot 347, the Glapion family crypt, in Saint Louis Cemetery No. 1 in New Orleans, but this has been disputed by various sources.

In television
A heavily fictionalized version of Marie Laveau was a supporting character and antagonist on the FX Network television series American Horror Story. She appeared in season three of the show, which was billed under the subtitle, "Coven". The role of Marie Laveau was played by actress Angela Bassett in this series.

Although most of the historical Laveau is supported in the series, it differs greatly as it concerns the manner of her death. On American Horror Story, Marie Laveau used black magic to make herself immortal. This was done by paying tribute to Papa Legba, who demanded the sacrifice of a human child, beginning with Laveau's own child. Marie also used this same magic to curse Delphine LaLaurie with immortality, and then had her buried alive for the murder of her lover, Bastien.

In the modern era, Marie Laveau continued to operate in New Orleans and operated a hair salon in the French Quarter called Cornrow City. She was a rival of the Salem coven and its Supreme, Fiona Goode. When Laveau learned that Goode had found the buried Delphine and taken her into her coven's home at Miss Robichaux's Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies, Laveau declared open warfare against the Salem witches, using voodoo to resurrect an army of undead zombies.

A witch-hunter named Hank Foxx (who also happened to be Fiona's son-in-law) attacked Cornrow City, killing several of Laveau's staff members. This forced Laveau to make peace with Fiona Goode and seek shelter at Miss Roichaux's. Delphine LaLaurie and the school's caretaker, Spalding, manipulated events so that Laveau would fail to pay the proper tribute to Papa Legba, which represented the source of her immortality. With her immortality gone, Laveau died a human death and her soul was consigned to Hell.