The area now known as Violet was originally part of the Livaudais Plantation. Violet sprang up after the development of the Violet Canal. It was named by canal booster Albert Covington Janin, after his wife Violet Blair Janin, a Washington, D.C. socialite and part of the influential Blair family for whom the Blair House across from the White House in Washington D.C. is named. Albert Janin spent his youth in St. Bernard Parish in the large Janin family home. His father, Louis Janin, Sr., a prominent lawyer who had immigrated from France to New Orleans in 1828, sent his sons to Europe for their education, including Albert. Albert was a partner with his father's law firm, including the office in Washington, D. C., where he remained after marrying into the Blair family. His and Violet's life together is told in Virginia Jean Laas's book, Love and Power in the Nineteenth Century, the Marriage of Violet Blair.
On August 29, 2005, the community was devastated by storm surge and wind associated with Hurricane Katrina which topped the Hurricane Protection Levee and destroyed the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet Canal levee. Camp Hope housed volunteers assisting residents of St. Bernard Parish in their recovery from Hurricane Katrina. It was located at the W. Smith Elementary School, 6701 E. St. Bernard Highway.
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,555 people, 2,744 households, and 2,266 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 2,108.4 people per square mile. There were 2,918 housing units at an average density of 719.1 per square mile. The racial makeup of the CDP was 58.29% White, 38.77% African American, 0.48% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races, and 1.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.29% of the population. There were 2,744 households out of which 45.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.7% were married couplesliving together, 21.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.4% were non-families. 14.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.10 and the average family size was 3.41. In the CDP, the population was spread out with 32.4% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 6.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $32,993, and the median income for a family was $36,616. Males had a median income of $32,012 versus $24,799 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $13,894. About 18.5% of families and 21.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.7% of those under age 18 and 26.6% of those age 65 or over.
