BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Tribute to Venerable Haitian Pierre Toussaint
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By Nelson A. King
In light of President Donald
J. Trump’s alleged derogatory
remarks about Haiti and
African countries, a retired
Vincentian-born public school
teacher in Brooklyn says she
was compelled to pay tribute
to the Venerable Haitian Pierre
Toussaint, who emerged from
slavery to sainthood.
“Since the President of
the United States referred to
several countries as ‘s…hole
countries,’ this writer has felt
compelled to tell the story of
someone who was brought here
from one of those countries,
and who made significant contributions
in New York City,”
writes Dr. Ann Sutherland, who
retired from teaching in New
York City public schools last
October, in her contribution to
the 36th anniversary journal of
the Brooklyn-based St. Vincent
and the Grenadines Ex-Teachers
Association of New York.
Dr. Sutherland writes that
the life of Toussaint “transcended
from slavery to entrepreneur,”
adding that “throughout
all, he performed great acts
of charity, helping to enhance
the lives of those who were in
need.”
According to saintsresource.
com, Toussaint was born a slave
in 1766 in the French colony
of Saint Domingue, which is
modern-day Haiti.
His great-grandmother,
Tonette, was born in Africa and
sold into slavery in the Caribbean,
saintsresource.com said.
It said Toussaint worked as a
house slave inside a plantation
owned by Jean Berard.
“He was educated by the
family’s tutors, which was very
unusual for the time,” saintsresource.
com said. “When political
unrest came to the island,
his master sent his wife to New
York for safekeeping in 1787.
Pierre and his sister, Rosalie,
were sent along.
“There, in New York, Pierre
was allowed to train as a hairdresser,”
it added.
After his master died, Dr.
Sutherland said Toussaint
“made the commitment to take
care of himself, his master’s
widow and the other house
slaves.”
His master’s widow died in
1807; and, shortly after her
death, her second husband
freed him to satisfy a promise
made to her prior to her death,
Sutherland writes.
She says Pierre then purchased
the freedom of his sister,
Rosalie; and, in 1811, that
of a young lady, Juliette Noel,
who was 20 years his junior
and who later became his wife.
The couple also adopted
Euphemia, the daughter of his
sister Rosalie who had died of
tuberculosis, Dr. Sutherland
says.
She says Toussaint and his
wife devoted their lives to helping
the poor and needy in New
York City, stating that “they
worked hand-in-hand aiding
refugees in finding jobs
and raising funds for several
orphanages.”
Dr. Sutherland says they
also donated their own money
to the Orphan Asylum in New
York City and organized a credit
bureau.”
Dr. Sutherland says Toussaint
was well known to immigrants,
especially those from
Haiti, who sought his help when
they arrived in New York City.
She says the couple took
people who were suffering from
yellow fever into their home
and nursed them.
Dr. Ann Sutherland.
Photo by Nelson A. King
An artist portrait of Venerable
Pierre Toussaint.
Used with permission of
the National Black Catholic Congress,
www.nbccongress.org.
/www.nbccongress.org
/saintsresource.com
/www.nbccongress.org