The New Orleans District of the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church originated through the 1971 merger of Louisiana’s two racially segregated conferences. From 1968 to 1971, Louisiana’s Conference A (for white churches) and Conference B (for black churches) existed as a temporary measure to work towards racial integration of the Louisiana Conference following the denomination’s 1968 dissolution of the Central Jurisdiction (a racially segregated unit for black Methodists).

In 1972, the district reported 19,771 members. The district consisted of congregations in southeast Louisiana stretching from New Orleans’ Lake Shore/Lake Vista neighborhood (north) to Buras (south) and Luling (west) to Belle Chasse (east).

In 1977, the New Orleans District of the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church was dissolved through the creation of two new districts: New Orleans/Houma District of the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church and the New Orleans/Slidell District of the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church.