Pierre G. Deslondes facts for kids

Pierre George Deslondes was an important African-American leader. He was born around 1825. He was a wealthy sugar planter, meaning he owned and managed a large farm that grew sugar cane.

Deslondes was also a "freeman." This meant he was born free or had gained his freedom before the end of slavery in the United States. He became a powerful voice in Louisiana politics.

A Leader in Louisiana

Pierre Deslondes served as the Secretary of State of Louisiana. This is a very important job in a state government. The Secretary of State is in charge of many official records and elections. He held this position from 1872 to 1876.

His time in office was during the Reconstruction era. This was a period after the American Civil War (1861-1865). During Reconstruction, the United States worked to rebuild the Southern states. It also aimed to give new rights to formerly enslaved people.

Deslondes was a strong supporter of the Republican Party. He worked as an organizer for the party in Iberville Parish. A "parish" is like a county in Louisiana. He helped gather support for the Republican Party's ideas and candidates.

Early Life and Family

Pierre Deslondes came from a family of freemen. His father was George Deslondes, who passed away in 1854. His mother was Eloise Belly. Pierre had two siblings, a sister named Odile and another sister named Victoria.

In 1860, Pierre Deslondes owned a lot of property. It was worth about $55,000 at that time. This was a very large amount of money back then. It showed he was a successful businessman.

He also took part in legal matters. For example, he filed a special request, called a petition, in 1859. Later in his life, he published a newspaper called the News Pioneer. This newspaper was printed in a town called Plaquemine, Louisiana.

See also

• African American officeholders from the end of the Civil War until before 1900