Born in 1766, Pierre Toussaint was a slave in his native Haiti. His owner, Jean Berard, taught the young man how to read and write. When slave revolts broke out, the Berard family brought him with them when they fled to New York City in 1787.
Shortly after their arrival, Mr. Berard died and Pierre became the main support of Mrs. Berard and the household. He studied to become a hairdresser and soon developed a large clientele among the rich. Upon her deathbed in 1807, Mrs. Berard gave Pierre his freedom.
Pierre married, and he and his wife purchased the freedom of many Haitian slaves. Once the refugees arrived in New York, the couple helped them find jobs, gave them money, and cared for them when they were sick-often bringing them into their home.
The Toussaints were childless but often took care of abandoned children, giving them a home and opening a school to help the children learn a trade. They provided financial support for the Oblate Sisters of Providence (a religious order for black women), the first New York City Catholic school for black children, and an orphanage begun in 1817 by a fellow New Yorker, Mother Elizabeth Seton.
Pierre died June 30, 1853, at the age of 87. He is buried behind the main altar of St. Patrick Cathedral in New York.
On December 18, 1996, Pope John Paul II declared Pierre Toussaint "venerable", a step towards eventual canonization. Toussaint is considered a founder of Catholic charities work in the United States.
February is Black History Month in the United States.
(From The Little Black Book)
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