Marie-Josèph Angélique was a young Black woman who lived in New France (now Quebec) in the early 1700s. She was enslaved and sold to a wealthy couple in Montreal named François Poulin de Francheville and Thérèse de Couagne. Marie-Josèph was a domestic servant in the de Francheville house and was subjected to horrible treatment. All three of her children died at infancy and Marie-Josèph endured much abuse at the hands of the de Franchevilles.

After François died of smallpox, Thérèse arranged to sell Marie-Josèph for 600 pounds of gunpowder to a Quebec City merchant. When Marie-Josèph began to fight back and rebel, Therese sent her to stay with a relative until the river thawed, and she could be transported to her new owner. In February 1734, Angélique tried to escape by reportedly setting a fire as a distraction and fleeing with Claude Thibault, an indentured laborer with whom she had a close relationship. They were soon captured and Angélique was returned to Thérèse.

Two months later, a fire in Montreal destroyed many homes. Though there was no proof, people blamed Marie-Josèph for starting the fire. Because she was enslaved and Black, she didn’t have the same rights as others and had to defend herself in court. She was found guilty and punished publicly in Montreal. Her conviction was based on racial bias and assumptions, not evidence.

Marie-Josèph Angélique’s story shows how unjust life was for enslaved people in New France. She was charged and punished without proof. Even though she tried to fight for her freedom, she faced hardships at every stage. Today, she is remembered as someone who stood up against injustice, and her story helps us understand the struggles of Black and Indigenous people in Canada’s early history. Marie-Josèph Angélique has been recognized by Parks Canada as a National Historic Person for her role as a symbol of Black resistance and strength.