France’s parliament votes to repeal slavery-era Black Code, with tears and history in the chamber

The National Assembly voted 254-0 — a rare show of unanimity — to adopt a bill repealing the Code Noir, or Black Code, the ...

What to know about Code Noir, a shocking French law that oversaw the slavery of 1.4 million Africans

France’s lower house has voted finally to scrub a foundational slavery-era edict from French law. The National Assembly voted ...
Opinion

The Brutal History That France Prefers to Ignore Is Being Heard at Last

In May 2025, François Bayrou, then the prime minister of France, fielded an unusual question from a member of Parliament: Why hadn’t France formally revoked the Code Noir, the ...
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The ghoulish secret King Louis XIV was hiding

King Louis XIV of France is famously remembered for his sprawling Palace of Versailles, his exquisite taste in fine art, and his absolute rule over a golden era of French culture. You probably picture ...