Pierre Toussaint

Venerable Pierre Toussaint
Born	(1766-06-27)27 June 1766 Saint-Marc, Artibonite, Saint-Domingue (now Haiti)
Died	30 June 1853(1853-06-30) (aged 87) New York City, U.S.
Spouse	Juliette Noel ​ (m. 1811⁠–⁠1851)​

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Pierre Toussaint (French pronunciation: [pjɛʁ tusɛ̃]; June 27, 1766 – June 30, 1853) was a formerly enslaved Haitian-American hairdresser and philanthropist, brought to New York City by his enslavers in 1787. He was declared Venerable by Pope John Paul II in 1996.

Freed in 1807 after the death of his mistress, Pierre took the surname of "Toussaint" in honor of Toussaint Louverture, a leader of the Haitian Revolution and devout Catholic.^[1][2] Toussaint also became a successful barber and used his wealth for various philanthropic causes. He also helped finance the construction of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral.

Credited as the de facto founder of Catholic Charities of New York,^[3] Toussaint is the first and only layman to be buried in the crypt below the main altar of the current St. Patrick's Cathedral on Fifth Avenue, generally reserved for bishops of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York.^[4]