Jean Saint Malo
Encyclopedia
Jean Saint Malo in French (? - June 19, 1784), also known as Juan San Malo in Spanish, was the leader of a group of runaway slaves in colonial Louisiana
, then under rule by Spain
.
Saint Malo and his band encampted to a marshy area of Lake Borgne
, with weapons obtained from freed persons of color and plantation slaves. The runaways lived in the swamp
s east of New Orleans and made their headquarters at Galliard
from 1780-1784.
The Spanish had mostly suppressed the slave revolts by 1783, and more than a hundred of the runaways were captured.
Saint Malo was condemned to death by hanging
, on charges of murder. The execution was carried out by the alcalde
Mario de Reggio on June 19, 1784, in front of St. Louis Cathedral
(the present Jackson Square
, New Orleans
).
The town of Saint Malo, Louisiana
, was named after him.
Coincidentally, June 19, the day of San Malo's execution, is also recognized by many African Americans as Juneteenth
, the day that slavery officially ended in several southern states, although there is no connection.
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, then under rule by Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
Saint Malo and his band encampted to a marshy area of Lake Borgne
Lake Borgne
Lake Borgne is a lagoon in eastern Louisiana of the Gulf of Mexico. Due to coastal erosion, it is no longer actually a lake but rather an arm of the Gulf of Mexico. Its name comes from the French word borgne, which means "one-eyed".-Geography:...
, with weapons obtained from freed persons of color and plantation slaves. The runaways lived in the swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
s east of New Orleans and made their headquarters at Galliard
Galliard
The galliard was a form of Renaissance dance and music popular all over Europe in the 16th century. It is mentioned in dance manuals from England, France, Spain, Germany and Italy, among others....
from 1780-1784.
The Spanish had mostly suppressed the slave revolts by 1783, and more than a hundred of the runaways were captured.
Saint Malo was condemned to death by hanging
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
, on charges of murder. The execution was carried out by the alcalde
Alcalde
Alcalde , or Alcalde ordinario, is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and administrative functions. An alcalde was, in the absence of a corregidor, the presiding officer of the Castilian cabildo and judge of first instance of a town...
Mario de Reggio on June 19, 1784, in front of St. Louis Cathedral
St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans
Saint Louis Cathedral , also known as the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans; it has the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating cathedral in the United States...
(the present Jackson Square
Jackson Square, New Orleans
Jackson Square, also known as Place d'Armes, is a historic park in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960.-Design:...
, New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
).
The town of Saint Malo, Louisiana
Saint Malo, Louisiana
Saint Malo was a small fishing village that existed in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana on the shore of Lake Borgne from the mid 18th century into the early 20th century, when it was destroyed by the New Orleans Hurricane of 1915. It was the first settlement of Filipinos in the United...
, was named after him.
Coincidentally, June 19, the day of San Malo's execution, is also recognized by many African Americans as Juneteenth
Juneteenth
Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, is a holiday in the United States honoring African American heritage by commemorating the announcement of the abolition of slavery in the U.S. State of Texas in 1865...
, the day that slavery officially ended in several southern states, although there is no connection.