Olivier Le Jeune

Olivier Le Jeune
Born	c. 1621 Madagascar
Died	1654 (aged 32–33) Quebec City
Occupation	servant
Known for	First slave in St Lawrence Valley/Québec/Canada

Olivier Le Jeune (died (1654-05-10)May 10, 1654) was an Afro-Canadian man noted as the first recorded slave in New France.

Background

Olivier was born in Madagascar. ^[1] Although he was a black African, he may have also been of partial Malay ancestry, which would have been quite common as Madagascar had been originally settled by diverse peoples of Southeast Asia and Oceania as well as Africa.^{[ citation needed ]}

He is believed to have been approximately seven years of age when he was brought to the French colonial settlement of Quebec in New France by English privateer David Kirke or one of his brothers, Lewis and Thomas Kirke, during their capture of the settlement. ^[2] He was the first slave recorded in New France. ^{[3] [4]} Olivier Le Jeune was sold to Olivier Le Baillif, a French clerk who had gone over to the British, for the sum 50 écus/150 livres (six months of a skilled person's wage). ^[1]

When Quebec was handed back to the French in 1632, Le Baillif left the colony and gave his slave to a Quebec resident, Guillaume Couillard. ^{[3] [4] [1]} The boy was educated in a school established by the Jesuit priest Paul Le Jeune, who taught him to read and write. On teaching Olivier, Paul Le Jeune said that "[a]fter so many years of regency, [he] have finally [came] back to teaching ABCs, but with such contentment and satisfaction that [he] wouldn't give up [Olivier and another Native American pupil] for even the most prestigious audience in France". ^[1]

In 1632, ^[5] Paul Le Jeune observed that Olivier did not fully grasp conversation very well, and his baptism would thus have to wait. On his owner's wife asking him if he wanted to become Christian like them, Olivier answered positively, but was afraid he'd be flayed (as Native Americans had been), as he'd have to be flayed to become white like them. They laughed, and Olivier realized he had been mistaken. ^[1] Paul Le Jeune baptised him with the name Olivier in 1633, after the colony's head clerk, Olivier Letardif. Olivier later adopted the name Le Jeune, the surname of the Jesuit priest. ^[5]

Around 1638, Olivier was arrested for falsely claiming that Nicolas Marsolet had received letters from the traitor Le Baillif, based on claims from sailors arriving from Tadoussac. Not wishing further trouble after his collaboration with the English, Marsolet took Olivier to court. An investigation took place, and witnesses claimed no one had seen Le Baillif's ship. Olivier was forced to admit he could not substantiate his claims, and was ordered to seek Marsolet's forgiveness and spend a day in chains ^[1] - thus becoming the first black person punished in the region.^{[ citation needed ]} Olivier Le Jeune signed with only a cross when he gave his testimony in 1638. ^[1]

Olivier Le Jeune died on 10 May 1654. ^{[3] [4]} It was the first reported death of a black person in the St Lawrence. It is believed that by the time of his death his official status was changed from that of slave to that of free "domestic servant"; however, no proof of his emancipation was found. He may have been adopted by Couillard. ^[1]

Legacy

Le Jeune was designated a National Historic Person by Parks Canada in 2022. A commemorative plaque is located at Cartier-Brébeuf National Historic Site, 175 de l'Espinay Street, Québec. ^[6]

See also

• Black Canadian
• List of kidnappings
• Slavery in Canada

References

1. Trudel, Marcel (2012). Canada's Forgotten Slaves : Two centuries of bondage. Translated by Tombs, George. Montréal, Québec: Véhicule Press. pp. 15–17. ISBN   9781550653274.
2. "Black History Canada Timeline". Black History Canada. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
3. Marcel Trudel (1979) [1966]. "Le Jeune, Olivier, a servant of Guillaume Couillard". In Brown, George Williams (ed.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography . Vol. I (1000–1700) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press. We do not know whether Couillard treated him as a slave or set him free, for in the burial register Olivier is listed as a servant. No text certifies that he was a slave. His situation may very well have been the same as that of the Indian girls Charité and Espérance, whom Champlain was unable to obtain permission to take to France and whom Couillard adopted.
4. Ethel M. G. Bennett (1979) [1966]. "Hebert, Guillemette (Couillard de Lespinay), daughter of Louis Hébert and Marie Rollet". In Brown, George Williams (ed.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography . Vol. I (1000–1700) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press. They must have formed part of a cosmopolitan household, for it contained also Olivier Le Jeune, a black boy from Madagascar brought up the river by the English, sold to Olivier Le Baillif, and given by him to the Couillard family.
5. Winks, Robin W. (1971). The Blacks in Canada : a history. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press. ISBN   0-300-01361-2. OCLC   140347.
6. Parks Canada Agency, Government of Canada (2023-10-13). "Olivier Le Jeune — National Historic Person - Olivier Le Jeune National Historic Person". parks.canada.ca. Retrieved 2024-02-15.