Gens de Couleur Libres Pronunciation: /ʒɑ̃ də ku.lœʁ liːbʁ/ (zhahn duh koo-LUHR leeb-ruh)
Definition: A French term meaning “Free People of Color,” referring to a distinct social class of free Creoles, primarily mixed-race people of African, European, and Native American descent in colonial and antebellum Louisiana and other French and Spanish colonies. The Gens de Couleur Libres occupied an intermediate social status between enslaved people and whites, often possessing property, businesses, and education, and developing a unique Creole culture.
Example: Many Gens de Couleur Libres in New Orleans became community leaders, artists, and skilled professionals during the 18th and 19th centuries.