François Perrinon
Encyclopedia
François Auguste Perrinon was born at St.-Pierre (Martinique, FWI) into a free black family during the slavery period of the colony, but sent to mainland France for his education. He enrolled in the École Polytechnique
, with a specialization in naval artillery.
In 1842, he was sent back to the Caribbean as part of the French colonial army's garrison on the isle of Guadeloupe
. He was of anti-slavery sympathy, and in 1847, in a pamphlet he authored entitled "Résultats d'expérience sur le travail des esclaves" ("The Slave-Labor Experience") describing events on the isle of St. Martin, he argued that the work being performed by slaves at the time could just as well be performed by free people and at equal cost. A year later, he was appointed to the Commission for the Abolition of Slavery, and was sent to Martinique
as "Commissioner of Abolition", later becoming General Commissioner and holding that post from June to November 1848.
In 1849, he was elected, along with his close friend Victor Schoelcher
, deputy to the French National Assembly
.
In the wake of a coup d'état of 2 December 1851, in France, he returned to the Caribbean to live on St. Martin, where he was involved in operations in the salt marshes. His refusal, in a letter of 18 April 1853, to take an oath of allegiance to Napoléon III, resulted in his expulsion from the military.
École Polytechnique
The École Polytechnique is a state-run institution of higher education and research in Palaiseau, Essonne, France, near Paris. Polytechnique is renowned for its four year undergraduate/graduate Master's program...
, with a specialization in naval artillery.
In 1842, he was sent back to the Caribbean as part of the French colonial army's garrison on the isle of Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe is an archipelago located in the Leeward Islands, in the Lesser Antilles, with a land area of 1,628 square kilometres and a population of 400,000. It is the first overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. As with the other overseas departments, Guadeloupe...
. He was of anti-slavery sympathy, and in 1847, in a pamphlet he authored entitled "Résultats d'expérience sur le travail des esclaves" ("The Slave-Labor Experience") describing events on the isle of St. Martin, he argued that the work being performed by slaves at the time could just as well be performed by free people and at equal cost. A year later, he was appointed to the Commission for the Abolition of Slavery, and was sent to Martinique
Martinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
as "Commissioner of Abolition", later becoming General Commissioner and holding that post from June to November 1848.
In 1849, he was elected, along with his close friend Victor Schoelcher
Victor Schoelcher
Victor Schoelcher was a French abolitionist writer in the 19th century and the main spokesman for a group from Paris who worked for the abolition of slavery, and formed an abolition society in 1834...
, deputy to the French National Assembly
French National Assembly
The French National Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of France under the Fifth Republic. The upper house is the Senate ....
.
In the wake of a coup d'état of 2 December 1851, in France, he returned to the Caribbean to live on St. Martin, where he was involved in operations in the salt marshes. His refusal, in a letter of 18 April 1853, to take an oath of allegiance to Napoléon III, resulted in his expulsion from the military.