Two hundred and twenty-seven years ago on Aug. 21, the French colony of Saint-Domingue erupted in a giant slave rebellion. It would mark the beginning of 13 years of revolution, culminating in the 1804 declaration of independence of Haiti, the first nation in Latin America. Eighty years ago, a Trinidadian scholar named C.L.R. James…
Category: François-Dominique Toussaint Louverture
Confronting Black Jacobins : How the Haitian Revolution Smashed Slavery Worldwide
Hugo Turner Edited by Internationalist 360° The Haitian revolution (1791-1804) was one of the most important events in modern history. It was the first successful anti-slavery revolution. Not only did Haiti’s slaves manage to liberate themselves, they also inflicted crushing defeats on three empires. Spain, France and Britain suffered catastrophic losses trying to take back…
Celebrating the Haiti Revolution
Nkashama Sankofa The Haiti Revolution is known as the most successful rebellion of African people. It led to the creation of the first African state free from slavery and is an inspiration for African resistance throughout the world. Christopher Columbus set foot on the island where Haiti is now located in 1492, and began a…
François-Dominique Toussaint Louverture
François-Dominique Toussaint Louverture, also Toussaint Bréda, Toussaint-Louverture, or Toussaint L’ouverture (20 May 1743 — 7 April 1803), was the leader of the Haitian Revolution. His military genius and political acumen led to the establishment of the independent black state of Haiti, transforming an entire society of slaves into a free, self-governing people. The success of…
