Original the Onward Brass Band performed from about 1884 until somewhere in the 1930s.
In 1917, when Perez went to Chicago (second time) he probably disbanded the Onward. When Perez came back to New Orleans 1921-1922 he reformed the Onward until the mid 1920s, after that Perez changed the name into Imperial Brass Band.

www.onwardbb.com

Uniform: The Onward's winter uniforms were blue serge coats with a black side
                  stripe.
                  In the summer they wore white pants, blue jackets and white caps.i5

From this musicians it's known that they played in the Original Onward Brass Band:

1884, Cuba:
"Cuban Influences on New Orleans Music" essay by Jack Stewarti6 and i7

1887, January 8:
The Onward paraded through the streets of New Orleans, tells the Pelican.

1887, April:
Headed by the Onward the Longshoreman's Union and the Ladies Aid Union Longshoreman's Association, marched to a grand rally at the New Hope Church across the river at Algiers.
Waterfront workers of New Orleans, written by Eric Arnesen.p 84

1887, June 4:
The Onward led the parade from the Longshoremen's Protective Union Benevolent Association, celebrating it's 15th anniversary.

1887, September 10:
The Weekly Pelican wrote that the Onward received their new caps.

1887, December 31:
According to the Weekly Pelican, the Onward Brass Band played at the night parade for the Larendon Rifles.

1892:
According to Edmond Hall (New Orleans style by Bill Russell page 204) the band played in New York, with his father on  clarinet

1898, May 1:
New Orleans Item wrote about the Onward playing a concert at Spanish Fort (a resort/amusement area eastward down the shore of Lake Ponchartrain from West End) given from 2:30 until 6:00 PM. The Great Northern Railraod Company re-opened this resort for the black community.

1898:
A lot of the band members enlisted in the army for the Spanish American War.
The band, under direction of James McNeil under the name of the Ninth Immunes Regimental Band was sent to Cuba.

"According to bandleader Jack Laine's cornetist Ray Lopez, a send-off parade for black troops on their way to Cuba during the Spanish-American War, apparently featured two bands-one with Buddy Bolden that stayed in New Orleans-and another that left on the ship with the troops. From research currently in progress, by Stephanie Brown and Maureen S. Wright, grandaughters of Sylvestre Coustaut, who was a leader and/or founder of the Onward Brass Band, it appears that the Onward Brass Band is most likely the band that Jack Laine's cornetist Ray Lopez remembers as the band that accompanied the black troops on the ship to Cuba. This seems to also combine with information noted in Samuel Charters musicians' index. Additionally, according to research in progress by historian John McCusker, if all information correlates, then the ship which carried members of the Onward Brass Band and others to Cuba may have been the USS Berlin. Note: Ray Lopez, interview, Hogan Jazz Archive, Tulane University, August 30, 1958, Reel III (transcribed excerpt on Buddy Bolden by Ralph Adamo); Company Muster Rolls, June 17, 1898 - August 17, 1898, Company B, Station of Company at San Juan Hill, National Archives, Washington, D.C.; Samuel B. Charters, Jazz New Orleans, 1885-1963, New York, Oak Publications, 1963, pp. 7 & 15; John McCusker, interview, April, 1998."i7

1913:
(Courtesy of Hogan Jazz Archive, Tulane University)
Onward Brass Band (1913) - Manuel Perez - Andrew Kimball - Peter Bocage - Lorenzo Tio jr - Adolphe Alexander sr - Bébé Matthews - Dandy Lewis - Isidore Barbarin - Buddy Johnson - Vic Gaspard - Eddie Atkins - Eddie Jackson.i8

1917:
They played the funeral of Henry Zeno, drummer of Joe Oliver's band.12

1917:
Manuel Perez temporarily disbanded the band.

1922, August 8:
Louis Armstrong played his last job in (Algiers) New Orleans with the Onward, before going to Chicago the next day.
It was the funeral of trombone player Eddie Vinson's father in Algiers.
Maurice Durand, sometimes leader of the Onward brass band was telling the story about Louis playing in the Onward.

1962: (Derby day)
Louis Barbarin, Paul Barbarin (tb-leader), Ernie Cagnolatti, Louis Cotrell jr, Jack Willis (cl), Louis Nelson, Jerry Greene (tp).

1965, January 23: (Funeral of piano player Lester Santiago, which was recorded)
Avery "Kid" Howard (tp), Ernest Cagnolatti (tp), Andrew Morgan (sax), Harold Dejan (as), Joseph Thomas (cl), Minor Anderson (tuba), Joshua "Jack" Willis (mell), Lousi Barbarin (sn dr), Placide Adams (sn dr), Clement Tervalon (tb), Worthia Thomas (tb),

Avery "Kid" Howard

1966, April 2:
The Onward played at the funeral of Avery Kid Howard, with the Olympia Brassband. (Notes from a diary by Jim Finch (See New Orleans Music Vol 15 no 6)

1966: spring
(according to Lee Friedlander in his book "the Jazz people of New Orleans")
Fats Houston (Grand-Marshall), Louis Cotrell (cl), Louis Barbarin (sndm), Chester Jones (bsdm), Andrew Morgan (ts), Jerry Green

1967, May 6 :
(meeting members of the Easy Riders Jazz Band at the airport of New Orleans)
Polo Barnes (cl), Alec Bigard (sndm), Chester Jones (bsdm), Jim Robinson (tb), Worthia "Showboy" Thomas (tb), Ernest "Punch" Miller (tp), George "Kid Sheik" Cola (tp), Kid Thomas Valentine (tp), Emanuel "Manny" Paul (ts)

1969, February 10: Funeral of Paul Barbarin
Paul Barbarin died whilst leading the band on a dedication parade.
(Picture Michael P. Smith) i2

1972:
i3

1973, September 13:
(Picture Jack Buerkle) i2
left to right: Louis Barbarin, Chester Jones and Placide Adams

1993:
(Milford Dolliole)i9
Picture by John McCusker.

For a while this picture was mentioned as it was Louis Barbarin, but as we found a quote of John McCusker, we're now knowing this is Milford Dolliole.

The photograph of 89 year-old jazz drummer Milford Dolliole was taken in 1993 as part of a series on the history of jazz. Dolliole died in 1994. http://dartsociety.com/auctions/john-mccusker-print/dolliole-2/

Mike Spahn send us this e-mail:
Dear Hurricane Brass Band,