Discovering Lucy: Women of 1811

Lucy, an enslaved woman on Antoine Philippon’s plantation, is the first woman to be researched in depth by historians at The Descendants Project. 

Her name appears in a list compiled by New Orleans City Judge Moreau Lislet, published in the Louisiana Courier on January 14, 1811. She was among 14 men captured and imprisoned for their involvement in the 1811 Uprising.  

Lucy first emerges in historical records on September 25, 1809, when Philippon purchased her from Balthasar Demazilliere for 400 pesos. This sale document describes her as 25 years old with no previous history of self-liberation. Philippon owned at least two properties: a home on St. Louis Street in New Orleans and a plantation referenced in the 1821 Slave Evaluation Reports, though these exact locations remain unknown.

Lucy likely moved between the plantation and the city being familiar with both the rural and city landscapes. This mobility may have enabled her to help organize the revolt by spreading news and connecting others to the plans of the revolt. 

Women often supported revolts through logistical aid, such as cooking, gathering supplies, or spreading intelligence. Their ability to move between domestic and public spaces on the plantation enabled them to communicate critical information and create subversive disruptions. 

Enslaved women also took direct action through lethal force over their enslavers with poison, cane knives, and axes. After revolts, many women faced brutal repercussions, including torture and imprisonment, reflecting both enslavers’ and the governments’ deep fear of their potential for resistance.

Lucy’s story is the first of many women’s stories that we hope to uncover. The works on the 1811 Uprising, while formative to keeping the narrative alive, focuses on the men and leaders of the revolt. The Descendants Project is dedicated to researching and bringing forth the stories of women and their work within this historic revolution.