In Colonial days, the Bahamas were governed by the territory of the Carolinas. Ships from Philadelphia would have made many stops at the islands. Junkanoo is probably Mummery with an African spin. Curiously, Junkanoo and Comus may have common ancestors. Legend has it that the parade of the king of Carnival was created in 1872 as a last-minute effort to entertain the Russian Grand Duke Alexis Romanoff, whose visit to the city coincided with Mardi Gras that year.
Legend misses the point.
In 1872, New Orleans was still suffering through Reconstruction. Tensions were high. All that existed of organized Carnival celebrations were the nighttime parades of the Twelfth Night Revelers and Comus. Carnival and indeed the civic good needed a day parade that could become a public attraction and be used to lure visitors back to the city. Public attention has been drawn to New Orleans.