Louis Delgrès
Louis Delgrès (August 2, 1766 – May 28, 1802) was a mulatto leader of the movement in Guadeloupe resisting reoccupation (and thus the reinstitution of slavery) by Napoleonic France in 1802.[1]
Contents
1 Biography
2 Legacy and honours
3 See also
4 References
5 External links
Biography
Delgrès was born free in Saint-Pierre, Martinique.[2] An experienced military officer who had a long background fighting Great Britain in the many wars that country had with Revolutionary France, Delgrès took over the resistance movement from Magloire Pélage after it became evident that Pélage was loyal to Napoleon. Delgrès believed that the "tyrant" Napoleon had betrayed both the ideals of the Republic and the interests of France's colored citizens, and intended to fight to the death.
The French army led by Richepanse drove Delgrès into Fort Saint Charles, which was held by the slaves. After realizing that they could not overcome the French forces and refusing to surrender, Delgrès left with 400 men and some women. At the Battle of Matouba on May 28, 1802, Delgrès and his followers ignited their gunpowder stores, committing suicide in the process, in an attempt to kill as many of the French troops as possible.[3]
Legacy and honours
In April 1998, Delgrès was officially admitted to the French Panthéon, although the actual location of his remains is unknown.[1] Delgrès' memorial is opposite that of Toussaint Louverture, leader of the Haitian Revolution, the location of whose remains is also a mystery.
Located near the Fort Delgrès, in Petit-Bourg, Guadeloupe, a memorial bust of Delgrès was erected during the bicentennial of the rebellion, in 2002.[4]
The contemporary French Caribbean blues trio Delgres is named after Delgrès.[5]
See also
- La Mulâtresse Solitude
- History of Guadeloupe
- Colonialism
Massada (a similar mass suicide)
References
^ ab
Dubois, Laurent (2009). Daniel J. Walkowitz, Lisa Maya Knauer, ed. "Haunting Delgrès". Contested histories in public space: memory, race, and nation. Duke University Press: 312. ISBN 0822391422..mw-parser-output cite.citationfont-style:inherit.mw-parser-output qquotes:"""""""'""'".mw-parser-output code.cs1-codecolor:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-free abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-registration abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-subscription abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registrationcolor:#555.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration spanborder-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-errordisplay:none;font-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-errorfont-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-formatfont-size:95%.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-leftpadding-left:0.2em.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-rightpadding-right:0.2em
^ http://pyepimanla.blogspot.co.uk/2009/07/louis-delgres-le-colonel-anti.html accessed 27 June 2012
^
Moitt, Bernard (1996). David Barry Gaspar, ed. "Slave women and Resistance in the French Caribbean". More than Chattel: Black Women and Slavery in the Americas. Indiana University Press: 243. ISBN 0-253-33017-3.
^ "Memorial in homage to Delgrès - Basse Terre - Cartographie des Mémoires de l'Esclavage". www.mmoe.llc.ed.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
^ "Delgres │Official Website │About". Delgres - Official Website - Home. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
External links
- Louis Delgrès(in French) Le souffle de la liberté
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