By Jordan Meadows
Staff Writer
Joseph Philippe Lemercier Laroche, a 25-year-old Haitian engineer, was the only known Black passenger, along with his children, aboard the ill-fated Titanic. His story, buried for decades beneath the weight of history, has recently re-emerged.
Born on May 26, 1886, in Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, Joseph Laroche was a gifted student. At just 15 years old, he was sent to Beauvais, France, to pursue a formal education in engineering. He was fluent in French, Creole, and English, and by his early twenties, had completed his degree and was set on building a future for himself in Europe.
In a suburb of Paris, Joseph met Juliette Lafargue, a young white French woman. Their bond was strong and deep, fostered by mutual respect and affection, and the two married in 1908. Their first daughter, Simonne, was born in 1909; a second daughter, Louise, arrived prematurely in 1910 and struggled with health issues throughout her infancy.
Despite his qualifications and ambition, Laroche faced relentless racial discrimination in France, especially due to his interracial marriage. The color of his skin often overshadowed his engineering degree and work ethic, and the jobs he did secure were low-paying, a consequence of the rampant racism of the era.
As the family’s financial pressures mounted—especially with Louise’s medical needs—Laroche began to look beyond France. In 1911, his uncle, Cincinnatus Leconte, seized the presidency of Haiti. Seeing an opportunity to support his family and return to his roots, Laroche accepted Leconte’s offer of a teaching position in Haiti.
The Laroches originally planned to move to Haiti later in 1912, but when Juliette discovered she was pregnant for a third time in early 1912, the couple chose to hasten their departure. Joseph’s mother gifted them first-class tickets aboard the SS France as a gesture of welcome. However, the ship’s policy requiring children to remain in a separate nursery infuriated the couple, particularly given Louise’s health.
Determined to stay together as a family, they exchanged their tickets for second-class passage aboard the RMS Titanic—then hailed as the most luxurious ship ever built. On April 10, 1912, the Laroches boarded the ship from Cherbourg, France.
At 11:40 p.m. on April 14, the Titanic struck an iceberg. Joseph quickly realized the gravity of the situation. He woke Juliette, stuffed their valuables into his pockets, and carried their sleeping daughters to the deck. His final known actions were ensuring his daughters and pregnant wife were safely aboard a lifeboat. “We’ll see each other soon,” he told Juliette.
Joseph Laroche never made it off the Titanic. His body was never recovered.
Juliette, Simonne, and Louise were rescued by the RMS Carpathia the following morning. The two little girls were hoisted aboard in burlap sacks. Resources were scarce on the rescue ship—Juliette had to improvise diapers out of stolen napkins.
When they arrived in New York on April 18, there was no one waiting for them. With her husband gone and no support in America, Juliette returned to Villejuif, France. The following month, she gave birth to a son, whom she named Joseph in honor of his father.
The story of Joseph Laroche remained largely untold for most of the 20th century. It wasn’t until much later that the world began to recognize the significance of his presence aboard the Titanic. His daughter Louise, who lived until 1998, helped bring attention to her father’s legacy. In 1995, she returned to the SS Nomadic for the first time since 1912, joining other Titanic survivors in a tribute to those lost.
In a narrative so often dominated by the wealthy elite and tragic romance, Joseph Laroche’s story cuts through with truth and depth. It is the story of a Black man who, despite facing systemic barriers, sought a better life for his family. It is the story of love defying the odds and a father’s final act of courage.
