Incomplete farewell of Titanic's sole black passenger
The story of Joseph LaRoche, the only black passenger aboard the Titanic, disappeared for a long time before it was accidentally rediscovered by a British academic. LaRoche, born in Haiti in 1886, was an engineer educated in France and faced racial discrimination there, before deciding to travel with his wife and daughters to South America in search of a new life. When booking their tickets, they changed their plans from the SS France to the Titanic because first-class tickets for children did not allow dining with their parents. During the tragedy of the Titanic sinking in 1912, his wife and daughters managed to board lifeboats, while LaRoche’s body, who lost his life, was never found; there is no confirmed information about his fate. LaRoche’s story highlights the character of a successful and independent Black man, yet he remained forgotten until researchers revived his memory through a play soon to be staged in Liverpool, aiming to shed light on and document his history and challenges.
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