German Coast Uprising (1811)

The 1811 German Coast uprising was a slave rebellion in the Territory of Orleans, occurring January 8–10, 1811. Led by Charles Deslondes, it involved 64–125 slaves marching from plantations near LaPlace towards New Orleans. It was the largest slave rebellion in U.S. history, taking place in St. Charles, St. James, and St. John the Baptist Parishes.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. The German Coast settlement, established in 1722, became a major sugar-producing area after the American Revolutionary War. By 1810, blacks outnumbered whites nearly five to one in the area, and 90% of whites owned slaves. The brutal conditions of sugar plantations, replicating those in Haiti, contributed to the high mortality rate of enslaved people and fears of uprisings.

Leadership. Charles Deslondes, a slave driver and overseer, was identified as the 'principal chief of the brigands.' He was described as a mulatto in contemporary accounts, though later mistakenly called a free person of color. Deslondes was involved in deliberations at the home of Manuel Andry prior to the uprising, which was his home plantation.

Aftermath. Following the suppression of the revolt, 56 captured slaves were returned to their masters. The event was largely absent from public history until recent decades. Commemorations began in 1995, and sites like the Whitney Plantation and the 1811 Kid Ory Historic House now memorialize the uprising.

People involved

Sources

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