Pierre Toussaint

Pierre Toussaint (born 27 June 1766 – died June 30, 1853) was a former slave from the French colony of Saint-Domingue who was brought to New York City by his owners in 1787. There he eventually gained his freedom and became a noted philanthropist to the poor of the city. Freed in 1807 after the death of his mistress, Pierre took the surname of "Toussaint" in honor of the hero of the Haitian Revolution which established that nation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Toussaint