Mathieu Da Costa, the first African descent individual in Canada, arrived as a free man in 1604, serving as an interpreter for French explorers. While he experienced freedom, many Africans faced the horrors of the Middle Passage, with slavery being less prevalent in Canada. Olivier Le Jeune, the first enslaved African in Canada, was brought to New France in 1628. His legacy has been recognized through commemorative plaques, highlighting the historical presence of Afro-descendants in Canada.
Mathieu Da Costa: The Pioneer of African Heritage in Canada
Mathieu Da Costa holds the distinction of being the first individual of African descent to arrive in Canada. Unlike many of his contemporaries, he came as a free man and accompanied French explorers, notably Samuel de Champlain, in 1604. Da Costa served as an interpreter, earning a good wage for his services in the New World. His linguistic prowess included fluency in French, English, Dutch, Portuguese, and possibly Micmac, which underscores that he was not brought to America as a slave.
The Harsh Reality of the Middle Passage
While Mathieu Da Costa enjoyed freedom during his travels, countless Africans endured the brutal realities of the Middle Passage, shackled in the dark holds of ships. It is important to note that slave ships did not venture as far as Canada. Instead, those enslaved Africans who made it to Canadian soil typically passed through the Caribbean or the Thirteen British Colonies. Given the limited market for slavery in Canada, particularly due to seasonal navigation challenges on the Saint Lawrence River, the human trafficking trade found it less profitable here. The long journey significantly raised mortality risks for both the enslaved individuals and the sailors involved.
During French colonial times, enslaved Black individuals often came from places like Saint-Domingue, Martinique, or Guadeloupe. Others were captured in raids on isolated villages in New England and sold at markets in Canada. This scarcity of supply contributed to the reality that most enslaved individuals in Canada were Indigenous people, including many from the Pawnee, Mesquakie (Fox), Western Sioux, Inuit of Labrador, Chickasaw of the Mississippi Valley, and Apache communities from the American Southwest.
The Legacy of Olivier Le Jeune
Olivier Le Jeune, a young boy from the coast of Guinea or Madagascar, arrived in New France during the Thirty Years’ War aboard a ship operated by the Kirke brothers, British privateers aiming to overthrow French control in North America. They captured Tadoussac in 1628 and Quebec in 1629.
After the French regained the colony through the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye in 1632, the Kirke brothers departed, selling the young slave for 50 écus to Olivier Le Baillif, a collaborator with the English. As Le Baillif fled, he entrusted the boy to Guillaume Couillard. Known in historical records as Olivier Le Jeune, he was likely between 8 and 10 years old at that time. To enhance his education, Couillard sent him to study under the Jesuit Father Paul Le Jeune, who noted him as one of his first students.
Olivier received basic education in French and catechism in preparation for baptism. He was baptized in 1633, adopting the name Olivier Le Jeune. Throughout his life in Quebec, he faced challenges, including accusations of slander against Nicolas Marsolet, an English collaborator. In 1638, he was sentenced to apologize and spend 24 hours in chains.
Olivier Le Jeune is recognized as the first enslaved African in Canada and the first Black individual to live permanently in the country. He also holds the distinction of being the first Black person to face incarceration or conviction within the Canadian justice system. He passed away on May 10, 1654, at around thirty years of age, with no known descendants. His burial record lists him as the servant of Guillaume Couillard, leading many historians to speculate that he may have gained his freedom during his lifetime.
Over the years, the history of Afro-descendants in Canada has gradually gained recognition. In 2020, Olivier Le Jeune was acknowledged as a significant historical figure in Quebec, followed by the installation of a commemorative plaque in 2021 at the former home of Guillaume and Guillemette Couillard. In 2022, he was recognized at the federal level, and in 2023, another plaque was unveiled at Cartier-Brébeuf historic site, where he studied with the Jesuits. Today, two plaques in Quebec honor the legacy of the first enslaved African to live in Canada.