Let’s review the chart of a very special individual who might be very familiar to anyone who knows and loves New Orleans.

Image Credits: Robert R. Macdonald et als, eds. 
Louisiana’s Black Heritage

Thomy LaFon was a “free man of color” and an example of the exotic racial mixture called Creole, who was born into poverty but built a successful business and became one of the wealthiest men in New Orleans.  Not only was he a business whiz kid and self-made business tycoon, but he became known in later life for his philanthropy, founding numerous charitable organizations and making sizeable donations to sustain hospitals, schools and shelters for members of all races.

He was born on December 28, 1810 in the golden aftermath of the Louisiana Purchase and during the heyday of the cosmopolitan melting-pot known as New Orleans.

Sources suggest that this Creole entrepreneur had enough education to become a school teacher, but as you can see from his chart, LaFon’s most impressive shining skills lay in business. On the day he was born both the Sun and Venus were trine Ceres, and in Magi Astrology Ceres is considered a financial planet. LaFon was motivated (Sun) by a love (Venus) of business (Ceres) and successful (Sun) in business (Ceres).

Here is his Geocentric Chart

Between 1842 and 1850 he became known as a merchant, and sources speculate that cotton trading was a large source of income.  In that time period the Cotton Exchange was a powerful tool in the hands of smart operators. He invested his earnings in real estate and made loans to others, perpetuating and augmenting his wealth. His affluence, which outlasted the turmoil of the Civil War, was the result of shrewd investments and a frugal lifestyle.

LaFon established the Lafon Orphan Boys’ Asylum and the Home for Aged Colored Men and Women In New Orleans.

He made large contributions to American Anti-Slavery organizations, the Underground Railroad, the Catholic Indigent Orphans Institute founded by Marie Bernard Couvent and the Louisiana Association for the Benefit of Colored Orphans. When Lafon died the bulk of his considerable estate was left to charitable, educational, and religious institutions in New Orleans. Among them were Charity Hospital, the Lafon Old Folks Home, the Society of the Holy Family, and Straight University (now Dillard University).

His widowed sister” kept house” for him; he never married and left no heirs. When he died in 1893 his estate, which was bequeathed to various charities in New Orleans, was in excess of 500 million dollars. That was a huge sum for the 1800’s. That was an extraordinarily huge sum for a “free man of color.”

After his death the Louisiana State Legislature voted to honor him in memoriam despite prevailing racial discrimination of the time. He was the first Black Person honored by any State in the Union.

This chart is especially interesting in light of the Uranus /Pluto squares of 2012- 2015. You might notice that LaFon was born with a trine between these two planets. His humanitarian social consciousness might be described as the desire to make powerful (Pluto) social changes (Uranus).  Having Jupiter contraparallel Uranus in the declinations gave him the desire to help (Jupiter) his fellow man.

The Magi Society often says that Ceres has selfish qualities, and the focus of LaFon’s chart is that powerful  conjuncted Sun/Venus trine to Ceres, but LaFon gave, gave some more, and gave even more generously after death. Take a look at the declinations. Venus and Pluto are both contra parallel Ceres, emphasizing his business skills, but also parallel the very compassionate Neptune.  This certainly shows talent for real estate (Neptune) investment and expertise handling money as a banker/lender (Pluto), but it also shows a kindness towards the less fortunate. Add that together with the Uranus/ Pluto trine and you have someone who not only sees a social problem but has the desire, ability and means to address it.

Let’s not forget to take note of the fact that LaFon was a very smart person who could “think outside the box” with Mercury in extreme declination (ExDek).

In Heliocentric LaFon’s Earth/Moon conjunction with Venus is quincunx to Neptune, helping to make him a person who could leave lasting footprints. Schools and a chapel still bear his name in New Orleans.

Click here for the Heliocentric Chart

It is wonderful to see the chart of superlative people who were not only a success but generous to the nth degree. My thanks to the member who brought this outstanding individual to my attention.

See a sculpture of Thomy LaFon here