December 8, 2013  Lone Black Passenger on Titanic Forgotten in
History Books   Per The Chicago Tribune      “About 12 years
ago, my uncle Robert’s wife was in a beauty salon looking
through (an Ebony) magazine,” said LeBrun, an alumni relations
director for a Catholic high school. “She came across a photo
and said, ‘Oh, my gosh, that man looks just like my husband.’”
The photograph accompanied an article about an exhibit on the
Titanic that had opened at Chicago’s Museum of Science and
Industry and featured Laroche, 26, his pregnant wife, Juliette,
22, and their two daughters. The family was leaving France and
moving to Haiti because Laroche couldn’t find work in his
profession.  Laroche’s mother had sent the family first-class
tickets to travel on the French liner France. But just before
departure, the Laroches learned that the ship wouldn’t allow
them to dine with their children. Out of concern about the
younger daughter, who was sickly, they traded their tickets for
second-class tickets on the Titanic.  L