Africans in americapart 3douglas egerton on the haitian. Toussaint louverture and the haitian revolution part 1. Toussaint louverture and the american civil war matthew. The revolution had a series of strong leaders who were able to give proper guidance to the enslaved africans. Jan 18, 2018 following frances decision to emancipate the slaves, louverture allied with france against spain, and from 1794 to 1802, he was the dominant political and military leader in the french colony.
The remarkable leader of this slave revolt was toussaint breda later called toussaint louverture, and sometimes the black napoleon. His military and political acumen saved the gains of the first black insurrection in november 1791. Toussaint louverture is an indispensable companion work to the black jacobins 1938, jamess classic account of haitis revolutionary struggle for liberation. The three had sided with the spanish against the french and were sheltered in the spanish part. Initially, the slave population did not become involved in the conflict. Haitian revolution simple english wikipedia, the free. Sep 22, 2008 francoisdominique toussaint louverture was the bestknown leader of the haitian revolution. This was the role assumed by toussaint louverture and his army in 1794. For 200 years, haitian revolution has inspired black activism in the u. Haiti today is a desperately poor country beset by neocolonial exploitation and despotism.
A revolutionary life, his family came from the allada kingdom of west africa. Francoisdominique toussaint louverture may 20, 1743april 7, 1803 led the only victorious slave revolt in modern history, resulting in haitis independence in 1804. Toussaint louvertures greatest strengths were that he was an educated mostly selftaught man and that he was a great strategist and delegator. In this collection of his writings and speeches, former haitian politician jeanbertrand aristide demonstrates louvertures profound contribution to the struggle for equality. The supporters of toussaints rebellion against france at first engineered a bold policy of intervention in favor of the rebels. He first served in the army of the spanish part of the isle of saintdomingue, and fought the french as the leader of a guerrilla unit consisting of 4000 liberated slaves.
Nov 02, 2014 a quick opener to begin conversation on the main causes of and importance of toussaint louverture to the haitian revolution. Giving toussaint louverture the great man treatment the. The revolution will be forgotten is a proposed, collaborativelyedited popular history of the haitian revolution, shaped by the information gathered at the louverture project, and molded by its readers. At the forefront of the rebellion was general toussaint louverture, an exslave whose genius was admired by allies and enemies alike. Clavin argues that, at the height of the longstanding conflict between north and south, louverture and the haitian revolution were resonant, polarizing symbols, which antislavery and. Toussaint louverture in power 17961801 august 1796 primary electoral assemblies in saintdomingue are formed to elect colonial representatives to. Toussaint joined a mass slave revolt in saint domingue, presentday haiti, in 1791. Toussaint louverture, louverture also spelled louverture, original name until c. Through the struggle, the haitian people ultimately won independence from france and thereby became the. Toussaint louverture was the leader of the haitian revolution in the late eighteenth century, in which slaves rebelled against their masters and established the first black republic. Oct 21, 20 it means looking forwards to a new world while remaining anchored in the old. The play toussaint louverture, staged in london in 1936, was the first in a series of interventions by c. Elegantly written and deeply researched, this gripping account is filled with insight about americas fascination. The united states supported the dominguan revolutionaries with economic assistance and arms and munitions.
Toussaint louverture and the haitian revolution inspired millions of free and enslaved people of african descent to seek freedom and equality throughout the atlantic world. In part 4 of the book, you will find a collection of primary documents on the haitian revolution find articles in the u. Scholars, novelists, and playwrights have examined the slave revolt that violently and abruptly ousted the french plantation system on the caribbean island of saintdomingue during the 1790s from the viewpoint of the slaves, in the context of the french revolution, through the eyes of the charismatic leader toussaint louverture, and from other perspectives. It began in 1791 in the french colony of saint dominique later haiti. A revolutionary life, by philip girard, is a biographical account of the life, rise to power, and fall of toussaint louverture, the revolutionary haitian leader who overthrew the french colonial government in the french colony of saintdomingue and ruled as an autocratic governor general until his overthrow and capture by napoleon bonaparte in 1802. James into the representative politics and historical implications of the haitian. He was a man who possessed all qualities of a great leader and was well educated in french, latin and mathematics. Toussaint louverture and the american civil war matthew j. Toussaint louverture and the haitian war of independence, 18011804, by philippe r. Toussaint louverture and the haitian revolution read365. Born in saintdomingue, in a long struggle for independence toussaint led enslaved africans and afrohaitians to victory over french colonisers, abolished slavery, and secured native control over the colony, haiti. Beginning in 1789, free people of color of saintdomingue were inspired by the french revolution to seek an expansion of their rights.
Runaway slaves, or maroons, used guerilla warfare against the colony. Toussaint, who had been freed from slavery and taught to read and write, soon became leader of a rapidly expanding slave army. Francoisdominique toussaint louverture, also toussaint louverture, toussaintlouverture, toussaint breda, or sometimes erroneously toussaint louverture, nicknamed the black napoleon 20 may 1743 7 april 1803, was the leader of the haitian revolution. Toussaint louverture and the american civil war examines the significance of these competing narratives in american society on the eve of and during the civil war. The promise and peril of a second haitian revolution. He emancipated the slaves and negotiated for the french colony on hispaniola, saintdomingue later haiti, to be governed, briefly, by black former slaves as a french protectorate. The rebels, inspired by the 1789 french revolution, rampaged through the country slaughtering slave owners and burning their properties. From 1798 to 1801, during the haitian revolution, president john adams and toussaint louverture forged diplomatic relations that empowered white americans to embrace freedom and independence for people of color in saintdomingue. Toussaint emancipated the slaves and negotiated for haiti, then called saintdomingue, to be governed briefly by black former slaves as a french protectorate. His army disciplined, mobile, combat effective became the spine of the slave revolution. Haitian slaves, led by toussaint louverture, founded first black republic.
A book like girards might have been near the top of louvertures list. The following twopart article was published in workers vanguard, nos. Slave revolts in the americas toussaint louverture and the haitian revolution part 2. It was published in 2012, long after the events of the haitian revolution, and it is all based on archival research so it is a secondary source. A quick opener to begin conversation on the main causes of and importance of toussaint louverture to the haitian revolution. Toussaint louverture, leader of the haitian independence movement during the french revolution 178799. It was the biggest slave rebellion since the time of spartacus.
Palgrave studies in the enlightenment, romanticism and cultures of print. He first served in the army of the spanish part of the isle of saintdomingue, and fought the french as the leader of a. The founding fathers and the haitian revolution narrates the intricate history of one of americas early foreign policy balancing acts and one of the nations defining moments. An island luminous is a site to help readers learn about haitis history. As toussaint louvertures life story helps demonstrate, the haitian revolution was a complex series of conflicts and alliances between different classes, populations, and political interests. Toussaint louverture and the american civil war demonstrates beyond a doubt just how much attention the haitian revolution received in the united states between 1791 and 1865, from both whites and blacks, from the north and the south alike, and from abolitionists to fireeaters. Toussaint louverture and the haitian slave revolution. Toussant louvertures role in the haitian revolution. Project muse toussaint louverture and the american civil war. What was the impact of the haitian revolution on americans, black and white. Around 1743, he was born with the name, francois dominique toussaint. General toussaint louverture 17431803, detail, artist unknown. Nov 14, 20 toussaint louverture and the haitian revolution read365.
Francoisdominique toussaint louverture was the bestknown leader of the haitian revolution. Haitian revolution 17911804, series of conflicts between haitian slaves, colonists, the armies of the british and french colonizers, and a number of other parties. Thi wonderful collection draws on a variety of exewitness accounts, letters, and governmental documents to examine the causes of the haitian revolution and the impact it had on the eighteenthcentury atlantic world. Known to his contemporaries as the black napoleon, toussaint louverture was a former slave who rose to become the leader of the only successful slave revolt in modern history that created an independent state, the haitian revolution. Toussaint became the leader of a swelling insurrection of the entire black population of haiti.
According to kona shen, their guerrilla style lacked organization and leadership, though, until 1791, when a group of former slaves led in part by toussaint louverture organized a fullfledged uprising that toppled the colony the first successful slave revolt in history. Feb 18, 2010 toussaint louverture was the guiding light of the revolution. Toussaint louverture toussaint louverture was a leader of the haitian revolution. Any number of books have been written over the centuries about the leader of the haitian slave revolution, but toussaint louverture, by philippe girard, is only the second in english to draw deeply on the original documents. Through the struggle, the haitian people ultimately won independence from france and thereby became the first country to be founded by former slaves. To locate articles in american newspapers and magazines on the haitian revolution from 1794 to 1804, use the following database. Toussaint louverture and the haitian revolution, part 2. General toussaint louverture, pictured here on a haitian banknote. The next source is a book on the history of the haitian revolution written by popkins, an american professor and scholar.
Toussaint louverture a biography and autobiography part 12 full audiobook by. His father hippolyte, or gaou guinou, was an aristocrat, but around 1740, the dahomey empire, another west african kingdom in what is now benin, captured his. The cultural afterlives of toussaint louverture and the. Toussaint louverture was the guiding light of the revolution. The haitian revolution 17911804 was a conflict in the french colony of saintdomingue, leading to the abolition of slavery in haiti and the formation of haiti as the first modern republic ruled by africans.
In his portrayal of the haitian revolution, james aspired to vindicate black accomplishments in the face of racism and to support the struggle for selfgovernment in his native caribbean. The haitian revolution began on august 21, 1791, when a mob of slaves began burning down plantations and killing white europeans. Toussaint louvertures leadership was formed during his early years. Toussaint louverture and the haitian revolution youtube. What was toussaint louvertures role in the haitian revolution. Bell notes that we know little about toussaints early years spent on a plantation, where he worked with horses, but by the time the revolution exploded in 1791, hed been free for about 15 years and had owned slaves himself. Born into slavery on may 20, 1743 in the french colony of saint dominque, louverture was the eldest son of gaou guinon, an african prince who was.
When completed, the narrative will cover the events leading up to the revolution, the rise of toussaint louverture as the leader of his country. Matthew clavins 2010 work toussaint louverture and the american civil war argues for the importance of the haitian revolution and the image of its leading statesman toussaint louverture to the argument between slaveholders and abolitionists in antebellum america. He was a military genius and adept and playing the great powers off against each other. Toussaint louverture in power brown university library. What was toussaint louvertures role in the haitian. The supporters of toussaints rebellion against france at first engineered a bold policy of. Toussaint louverture and the haitian revolution part 2. Toussaint and other black leaders of saintdomingue helped to lead the only atlantic slave society which successfully defeated its oppressors. Apr 03, 2020 toussaint louverture, leader of the haitian independence movement during the french revolution 178799. Project muse toussaint louverture and the american civil.
According to philippe girards toussaint louverture. The haitian revolution by toussaint louverture, paperback. For a man born a slave to star in his own biography centuries later, not as a slave, but as a leader and a statesman is. Nick nesbitt is professor of french at princeton university. When toussaint louverture was about 50 years old in 1791, he became involved in the haitian revolution as a royalist military leader fighting against the french republic because he was opposed to how the republic was enslaving his own people. Toussaint louverture 1743 1803 a portrait of toussaint louverture on horseback. His military genius and political acumen transformed an entire society of slaves into the independent state of haiti. An ode to the passionate commander of the haitian revolution, arguably the most successful slave revolt in human history. Bell astutely follows the complicated geopolitics involved in the revolution. Operating under the selfassumed title of generalinchief of the army, louverture led the french in ousting the british and then in capturing. Biography of toussaint louverture, haitian revolution leader. The three had sided with the spanish against the french and were sheltered in the spanish part of the island the spanish colony of santo domingo. At first, toussant louverture could not have cared less. For nearly 80 years no scholar has written an englishlanguage biography of haitian revolutionary toussaint louverture.