Joseph Philippe Lemercier Laroche
Joseph Philippe Lemercier Laroche | |
|---|---|
Joseph (seated right) and his family, prior to their voyage on the Titanic | |
| Born | Joseph Philippe Lemercier Laroche 26 May 1886 |
| Died | 15 April 1912 (aged 25) |
| Occupation | Engineer |
| Spouse | Juliette Lafargue |
| Children | 2 |
Joseph Philippe Lemercier Laroche (26 May 1886 – 15 April 1912) was a Haitian engineer. He was one of only three passengers of known Haitian ancestry (the other two being his children) on the ill-fated voyage of RMS Titanic.
He put his pregnant French wife and their two daughters onto a lifeboat; they survived, but he did not. Joseph's daughter, Louise Laroche (2 July 1910 – 28 January 1998) was one of the last remaining survivors of the sinking of RMS Titanic.
LaRoche, a three-act opera by Atlanta composer Sharon J. Willis, is based on his life and was part of the 2003 National Black Arts Festival, premiering at the Callanwolde Fine Arts Center on July 18 of that year.