In 1804, the enslaved people of Saint-Domingue (modern-day Haiti) achieved a monumental victory by overthrowing French colonial rule, abolishing slavery, and declaring their independence. Many French planters fled to New Orleans, bringing some of their enslaved people with them. These individuals carried with them the powerful story of their revolt and the freedom they had fought so hard to obtain.
On January 8, 1811, a slave revolt led by Charles Deslondes began at the plantation of Manuel Andry in St. John the Baptist Parish. The rebels attacked Andry, wounding him, and seized weapons from the plantation.
Organized by artist Dread Scott
The revolutionaries then marched downriver, recruiting more slaves as they went toward New Orleans. By January 9, news of the revolt reached nearby plantations, and residents sought refuge at Destrehan Plantation. On January 10, General Wade Hampton and his troops confronted the rebels at Fortier Plantation (now part of Kenner, Jefferson Parish).
The rebels split into three groups: one heading north toward the lake, another upriver with Charles, and the third downriver. The downriver group was stopped at Ormond Plantation, while the upriver group was halted at Henderson Plantation in Kenner. On the morning of January 12, 1811, Charles was captured in the swamps behind the Picou and Trouard Plantations. He was brutally killed by soldiers led by his owner, Deslondes, and Picou.
The trials of those involved in the revolt were held in three separate proceedings, with 67 enslaved people put on trial. Jean Noel was involved in overseeing the trials at Destrehan Plantation. Among those executed were enslaved individuals from Destrehan Plantation, including Gros and Petit Lindor (both 30 years old) and Jasmin (45 years old).
To access trail information and a free audio download, narrated by actor and New Orleans native Wendell Pierce, visit: https://www.the1811slaverevolt.com
You can learn more about the 1811 Slave Revolt by visiting our newly renovated exhibit located in our Miller-Haydel Museum.
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All artwork on the 1811 Slave Revolt exhibit at Destrehan Plantation is by local folk artist Lorraine Gendron.