Born: circa 1772
Died: 1802
Biography:
La Mulâtresse Solitude (circa 1772 – 1802) was a historical figure and a heroine in the fight against slavery on French Guadeloupe. She has become a legend and a symbol of women’s resistance in the struggle against slavery in the history of the island. Although little is recorded about this Guadeloupean woman, Solitude is highly regarded as a key figure in leading the insurrection that culminated in the battle of Matouba against the reinstatement of slavery in Guadeloupe in 1802.
The early life of the girl who would later become known as Solitude remains speculative, as there are limited records about her upbringing. It is widely believed that she was the product of a rape by a Frenchman on a slave ship that brought her mother to the Caribbean. Tragically, her mother is said to have passed away when Solitude was only eight years old. Some accounts suggest that Solitude and her mother escaped from slavery together and joined a maroon community in the hills of Guadeloupe, along with other Black people who had managed to flee their captors.
Solitude earned the epithet La Mulâtresse (meaning Female Mulatto) due to her mixed race heritage, which carried some significance in the racial hierarchy of the society at that time. Her relatively fair skin and pale eyes meant that she was assigned domestic work rather than being forced to work in the fields.
In late 1799, Napoleon Bonaparte, having come to power, decided to reinstate slavery, which had been abolished by the Convention. He enacted the Law of 20 May 1802, reintroducing slavery in the French colonies. The Guadeloupeans, having tasted freedom, vehemently resisted this decision. One of the key figures in organizing resistance in Pointe-à-Pitre was an officer named Joseph Ignace, who joined forces with another insurgent, Louis Delgrès, a free mulatto officer. Solitude was among those who rallied around Louis Delgrès and fought alongside him for freedom.
On May 21, 1802, General Richepance stormed the fort where refugees Delgrès, Ignace, and their men were stationed. The following day, Ignace and Delgrès made their escape through the postern gate of Galion. The bridge over the river Galion would later become a significant landmark in this fight. Ignace headed towards Pointe-à-Pitre and died in battle, while Delgrès proceeded to Matouba, en route to Saint-Claude.
On May 28, 1802, Delgrès and Solitude, along with 400 other brave individuals, found themselves engaged in a losing battle against the French armies. In a final act of defiance, they chose to detonate gunpowder, sacrificing their lives in an attempt to take as many French soldiers with them as possible.
While Solitude miraculously survived the battle and the subsequent bombing of May 28, 1802, she was captured by the French and imprisoned. Due to her pregnancy at the time of her imprisonment, she was not sentenced to hanging until November 29 of that year.
La Mulâtresse Solitude remains an emblematic figure in the history of Guadeloupe, representing the bravery and resilience of those who fought against the horrors of slavery. Her story serves as a testament to the strength and determination of women in the face of oppression and injustice.