Full Name
Details:# Full Name Charles Deslondes
Date of Birth
Circa 1789
Place of Birth
The exact place of birth is uncertain, it could be either Saint-Domingue (present-day Haiti) or Louisiana, United States.
Early Life
Charles Deslondes was born around 1789 and was described as a “Creole mulatto slave”. He worked as a “driver”, an overseer of enslaved people.
Career
Charles Deslondes is most recognized for leading the 1811 German Coast Uprising, which is considered the largest organized rebellion of enslaved people in the United States. The revolt began on January 8, 1811, at Col. Manuel Andry’s plantation in what is now LaPlace, Louisiana. Deslondes led over 200 enslaved African Americans in a march down the river for two days, reaching Jacques Fortier’s plantation near the present-day River Town in Kenner, a distance of over 22 miles. The rebellion was inspired by the successful Haitian Revolution, which had occurred less than a decade earlier.
Death
Charles Deslondes was captured and brutally killed on January 15, 1811, after the uprising was suppressed. His body was mutilated, dismembered, and put on public display as a warning against other potential slave uprisings.
Legacy
Despite the brutal end to the uprising, Charles Deslondes’ actions have been recognized as a significant act of resistance against slavery. The 1811 German Coast Uprising remains a significant event in the history of slave revolts in the United States.