Code noir thrown out of France’s national assembly

Updated: May 28 1:10pm

Even though France abolished slavery in 1848, the Code Noir has stayed in the French law books until Max Mathiasin, a deputy from Guadeloupe, presented a judicial text to the law commission. The law commission voted unanimously for the annulment of the Code Noir in the French law books. A week after the vote in the law commission, the French National Assembly has voted unanimously for the annulment of the Code Noir.

For us in Louisiana, we know very well the history of the Code Noir within our borders after its adoption in 1724 where enslaved people were recognized as merchandise instead of people. The Code Noir is even where we find, in Article 38, that the enslaved were marked with a Fleur de Lys on the shoulder for running away.

The trace of slavery is still visible in the Creole state with Big Houses that are still standing along the Mississippi river, in the French Quarter, Congo Square, damaged slave cabins, and many more. In the State, there is even a region known as “Plantation Country” in which you can find some plantations such as Mrytles, Whitney, Houmas, Destrehan, and Laura’s that offer guided tours. During these last few years, people across the United States have started to ask if plantations should maintain standing. They cite how a few plantations permit people to get married on their propriety and how a few plantations have become a sort of Disney fantasy that avoids touching the subject of slavery.

Thus, these plantations had to cement their status as an important historical site in the preservation of slavery’s memory in Louisiana. Laura Plantation, which is situated in Vacherie in Saint James Parish, immediately banned marriages on its grounds and had looked to recount the story of the people inside and outside of the Big House and how they interacted with each other. Something they believe can help people better understand the dynamic of slavery. Whitney Plantation, found down the river in Saint John the Baptist Parish, took another path with its tours that only touch on the story of the enslaved population.

Even though plantations are changing how they tell this story, the preservation of slavery’s memory is still an issue for the state. Whether it’s in school or how we view Louisiana’s history, there is still a battle to ensure that this memory is not erased.