Delphine Lalaurie

Delphine Lalaurie, born Marie Delphine Macarty, was a wealthy New Orleans socialite and enslaver who became notorious for the abuse and torture of enslaved people in her household.

Delphine Lalaurie (born Marie Delphine Macarty) was a wealthy New Orleans socialite and enslaver who became notorious for the severe abuse and torture of enslaved people in her household. A public scandal in 1834 forced her to flee to France, where she lived until her death in Paris in 1849. Historical accounts consistently describe her as one of the most infamous figures in antebellum New Orleans.

Early life and marriage

Delphine Lalaurie was born Marie Delphine Macarty in New Orleans on March 19, 1787, into a prominent Creole family. She married three times, becoming widely known by the surname LaLaurie after her third marriage to Dr. Leonard Louis Nicolas LaLaurie.

LaLaurie Mansion and abuse allegations

In 1832 she moved into the mansion at what is now Royal and Governor Nicholls Streets with her third husband. In 1834, a fire and subsequent investigation at the house exposed severe abuse of enslaved people in the household, triggering a major public scandal and outrage.

Flight to France

Following the scandal, LaLaurie fled New Orleans and was never brought to justice. She settled in France and spent the rest of her life there. Sources state that she died in Paris on December 7, 1849, though some later details about her burial and reinterment are less certain.

Historical legacy

LaLaurie is remembered as one of New Orleans’s most notorious historical figures. Her story is discussed both as local history and as an example of the brutality of slavery in the antebellum South.