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La Mulâtresse Solitude: Fought Pregnant, Hanged After Birth
Born c. 1772, La Mulâtresse Solitude was the daughter of an enslaved African woman raped during the Middle Passage. She lived as a Maroon until 1794 when France abolished slavery. When Napoleon reinstated slavery (May 20, 1802), Solitude joined the resistance led by Louis Delgrès and Joseph Ignace. Though pregnant, she fought at Dolé and Matouba in May 1802. Historical accounts record her fury—she reportedly skewered a rabbit and threatened prisoners. On May 28, Delgrès and 400 fighters committed mass suicide with gunpowder. Solitude survived, was wounded and captured. She gave birth November 28, 1802. The French hanged her November 29—one day later. Her child became French property. In 1999, Guadeloupe erected her first statue. In 2020, Paris created Jardin Solitude.
SOURCES
Key Facts Verified:
Born: c. 1772, Guadeloupe
Died: November 29, 1802 (age ~30), hanged
Mother: Enslaved African woman raped by white sailor during Middle Passage
Childhood: Escaped with mother, lived as Maroon; mother died when Solitude was 8
1794: France abolished slavery (February 2, 1794; reached Guadeloupe June 7)
Napoleon's decree: May 20, 1802, reinstated slavery
Resistance leaders: Louis Delgrès, Joseph Ignace (French Republican Army officers of color)
Solitude's participation: Pregnant, bore arms in battle of May 8, 1802, fought at Dolé, Trou-aux-chiens, Fond-Bananier, Capesterre, Matouba
Rabbit incident: Historical account (Auguste Lacour) records she skewered rabbit, threatened female prisoners
May 28, 1802: Delgrès and ~400-500 fighters blew up gunpowder stores (mass suicide), killed ~400 French soldiers
Solitude: Survived explosion, wounded, captured
Birth: November 28, 1802
Execution: November 29, 1802 (one day after birth), by hanging
Child: Became French property, enslaved
Primary source: Auguste Lacour, Histoire de la Guadeloupe (mid-19th century)
André Schwarz-Bart novel: La Mulâtresse Solitude (1972)—fictional account, popularized her story
"Live free or die": From Schwarz-Bart's novel, NOT historical record
1999 statue: Jacky Poulier, Boulevard des Héros, Les Abymes, Guadeloupe
2007 statue: Hauts-de-Seine, France
2020: Jardin Solitude inaugurated, Paris (first Black woman memorial, city with 1,000+ statues, only 40 women)
2022: French Post stamp "Solitude v.1772-1802"
Panthéon campaign: Ongoing effort for inclusion
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