Taking On History
There is more to the story than James Cameron's CGI effects
by Anthony Sherwood
I was in Halifax, the city of my birth, in late March of last year giving a talk at the Nova Scotia Community College to the graduating Television Production students. After my talk I was approached by a student who asked if I was coming back to Halifax next year in 2012 to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. I told the student that I hadn’t planned on coming for the event. The next day I was having coffee with a colleague who informed me that he had heard that there was a black man who had sailed aboard the Titanic. Immediately my curiosity was elevated. I had never heard of a black man aboard the world’s most famous ship. I certainly didn’t see any blacks in the James Cameron film. Who was this black man? Was he travelling third class aboard the Titanic? My colleague couldn’t answer any of these questions. He speculated that it may be just a rumour.
When I returned home the following day, I went on my computer to find some information about this black man who sailed aboard the Titanic and discovered that the story was indeed true. The man’s name was Joseph Laroche who was born in Haiti and came from a very wealthy and powerful Haitian family. Laroche’s uncle was the President of Haiti – President Dessalines Leconte. This information immediately elevated my curiosity even further. You see, my wife was born in Haiti and I had a strong interest in Haitian culture and history. I discovered that Joseph Laroche was sent to Paris, France when he was only 15 years old to study engineering. Laroche obtained his University degree and married a French woman. Despite graduating at the top of his class, Laroche was unable to find any employment as an engineer because of the colour of his skin. Supporting his family became quite difficult. He had a wife and two young girls. His youngest daughter was born with some medical issues and required expensive medication. Joseph decided to go back to Haiti where his influential family could help him find employment as an engineer. Joseph Laroche and his family boarded the Titanic in Cherbourg, France on April 10, 1912.
