André Cailloux

How this work helped shape America

Born enslaved in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, in 1825, André Cailloux learned the skilled trade of cigar making while enslaved and gained his freedom in 1846. He continued working as a cigar maker and established his own cigar-making business in New Orleans, participating in one of the city's significant artisan trades. By 1848, Cailloux had accumulated enough money to purchase a small parcel of land for $200, and the following year he purchased his mother's freedom. He later acquired a home and paid off its mortgage while continuing to support his family through the cigar trade. Cailloux's progression from enslavement to skilled artisan, independent businessman and property owner demonstrates how a Black American converted specialized manufacturing skills into economic independence within antebellum New Orleans's commercial economy.