The Black Man on the Titanic: The Story of Joseph Laroche

by Serge Bile, Mirron Willis (Read by)

Overview

#1 New Release in Caribbean & West Indies History — Discover the true story behind one of the black passengers on the Titanic

An Incredible Tragedy: Joseph Laroche was an anomaly among the passengers of the Titanic. He was exceptionally well-educated in a time when few black men had access to an education―and when even fewer were able to travel on a luxurious ship in first or second class.

Who was Joseph Laroche? Where was he going, and what was his story?

Rediscovered History: This biography recounts the life of Joseph Laroche, his part in the history of Haiti, and how he, as a 24-year-old father of two (soon to be three) children, ended up on the last ship of that era of glamourous travel. He was a direct descendant of the father of Haitian independence and related to two Haitian presidents. As an engineer, Laroche contributed to the construction of the Parisian railway and had a promising future ahead of him.

A Brilliant Biography: Ivorian-French writer Serge Bilé is the author of this fresh perspective on the tragedy that still fascinates millions and has inspired dozens of history books. With thorough research in Haiti and France, Bilé unearths the story of the intriguing figure of Joseph Laroche. This is a story of multi-cultural black history and of the political and natural forces that converged on one man.

Readers who were fascinated by the true stories behind Hidden Figures and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks will love this engaging tale.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781982679477
Publisher:	Blackstone Publishing
Publication date:	02/18/2020
Edition description:	Unabridged
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 5.70(h) x 0.00(d)

About the Author

Serge Bilé is an Ivorian/French journalist. He is the author of several essays and documentaries about the Black and Caribbean experience. Over 100,000 copies of his book The Blacks in Nazi Camps have been sold worldwide. Currently, he is a news anchorman for Martinique Première, a network of France Télévision group and the most-watched TV newscaster on primetime on the Island.

Mirron Willis—actor of film, stage, and television—is the winner of the prestigious Audie Award for best narration in 2012 and a finalist for the Audie in 2015, as well as the winner of four AudioFile Earphones Awards for his audiobook recordings. He has worked extensively in film and television and on stage with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Houston Shakespeare Festival, and the Ensemble Theatre, among others. He has recorded some 150 audiobooks, including the Smokey Dalton series by Kris Nelscott and My Song by Harry Belafonte. He resides and records audiobooks on his family’s historic ranch in East Texas.

Table of Contents

PrefaceI. The New York ExpressII. The Earth ShakeIII. King ChristopheIV. Institution Du Saint-EspritV. Bread and GamesVI. There Is Wind and JoyVII. Closer to You, My Lord

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“In the blockbuster film Titanic, Leonardo DiCaprio’s role could have easily been played by a Black man—and it would have been historically accurate.”

—Zondra Hughes, social media strategist, author, and playwright