Black history, no matter the country, acknowledges the presence and contributions of blacks in many sectors of the world. Unlike the U.S., most countries don’t celebrate Black History, and France is among them.
Today’s post is about a black French citizen’s presence and death aboard the Titanic, a King Kong among steamships during that time. The Titanic was 882.5 feet long, 92.5 feet wide, and 175 feet or over 16 stories high.
Why was a black man on the Titanic, the touted ‘unsinkable’ luxury ocean liner that sunk on its first official voyage on April 15, 1912?
The only black man aboard wasn’t a stowaway, a Royal Mail Service (RMS) employee, or a common laborer for one of the rich and famous.
I’m not insinuating that he shouldn’t have been on the opulent Titanic, the British RMS carrier.
Of course, he had the means to pay; he had a ticket and traveled second class.
Unlike most ships, even second and third class had upgraded amenities on this sea-worthy floating palace. But first-class was the allure for well-to-dos and millionaires. The Titanic boasted a glass-dome Grand Staircase, squash court, gymnasium, heated swimming pool, library, kennel, and other lavishes.
Unlike the La French ocean liner, first-class welcome mats on the Titanic weren’t extended to blacks.
Who was this black man? His name was Joseph Philippe Lemercier Laroche.
Joseph Laroche traded his first-class La France Steam-liner ticket for a second-class ticket on the Titanic. It would be no surprise that first-class on the Titanic wasn’t an option for a black man and his inter-racial family.
Laroche, his two daughters, and his French wife, Juliette, boarded the Titanic at Cherbourg, France, with a destination for his birthplace. Born in Haiti, Laroche went to Paris, France, when he was 14 to study engineering. He became an engineer by profession but could not achieve the financial success to sufficiently support his family.
Laroche originally planned to go back home to Haiti later that year or sometime in 1913. Money challenges, medical needs for his youngest daughter, and Juliette being pregnant all played a part in expediting his return home.
Laroche’s mom purchased the La France ticket for him to return to Haiti. His uncle, Cincinnatus Leconte was president of Haiti and guaranteed him a good job upon his return.
Instead of boarding La France, he boarded the Titanic to keep his family together 24/7 after learning that the La France liner’s rules didn’t allow children to dine in the ship’s dining room. With their two children traveling with them, Simonne, age three, and Louise, a one-year-old, this wasn’t good news. Leaving the children in a nursery or other supervised accommodations wasn’t an option.
Maybe Laroche would have been an average Joe had he taken the La France.
But fate led him to the Titanic.
The fact is Joseph Laroche, a black man, will forever be a part of the Titanic’s historic voyage.
Somehow Laroche made sure Juliette, Simonne, and Louise boarded one of the lifeboats before the liner sank after hitting the iceberg. His family was rescued by the RMS Carpathia and taken to New York. From there, his wife returned to her home in France.
Joseph Philippe Lemercier Laroche perished with many other Titanic voyagers, and his body was never recovered.
Months after returning to France, Juliette gave birth to her son, whom she named after her husband.
On that fateful and historic tragic day, one black man, two black girls, and an unborn black male were on the RMS Titanic. The only black man perished, and three black children survived with their Caucasian mother.
Stay safe.