This chapter establishes the historical and racialized context of New Orleans to frame the arrival and settlement of Vietnamese American refugees post-1975. The first section traces the city’s complex history, from French and Spanish colonial rule, marked by slavery and the emergence of free people of color, through the post-Civil War era defined by Jim Crow laws and enduring white supremacy. This historical overview demonstrates the highly racialized socio-political structure the refugees encountered. The chapter then documents the waves of Vietnamese arrivals, primarily Catholics fleeing North Vietnam in 1954 and then communist victory in 1975. It details their resettlement, largely concentrated in two distinct areas: the tight-knit, low-income Catholic enclave of Village de l’Est and the more dispersed communities in the West Bank. Finally, it explores the internal community organization, emphasizing the vital role of the Vietnamese Catholic Church in providing religious, cultural, and political unity, while also noting the prominent anti-communist sentiment shared by organizations like the Vietnamese American Community in Louisiana (VAC). This sets the foundation for analyzing how the community navigates racial politics and transnational ties.