How Should We Remember Toussaint Louverture?

The first independent country in the New World was, of course, the United States in 1776, achieving independence from Britain. But interestingly, the second New World region to reach freedom was Haiti in 1804. Like the United States, Haiti was originally a colony, and it took a revolution to reach independence. A French colony under the name Saint Domingue at the time, Haiti was inspired by the ideas behind the French and American revolutions, and built their own revolution against the slave work that went into sugar farming. At the forefront of the revolution was former slave Toussaint Louverture, who rose through the military ranks during the revolution and eventually became the first leader of Haiti. Just before Haiti was declared independent in 1804, Louverture was captured by Napoleon Bonaparte and died in jail in 1803. The father of his country, Louverture is known today as the first leader of Haiti, a liberator of the slaves, and a strategic military commander, but not necessarily in that order. Toussaint Louverture is a man that should be remembered first as a liberator of slaves, second as a strong but strict ruler, and then as a military leader.

By far, Louverture’s most important aspect was as a freedom fighter for the slaves, as it was one of the biggest parts of his life. His start came in 1791, when a slave revolt broke out in Saint Domingue. He started as a doctor, but also commanded a small group of soldiers against slavery. (Doc A) Joining the movement against slavery was the initial spark that led Louverture to the great things he did in life, and that spark burned for his entire life. Louverture’s goal wasn’t necessarily to achieve Haitian independence; as soon as the French abolished slavery in 1794, they dropped everything and began supporting the French again, even though they were still a colony. (Doc A) For Toussaint, everything, including military success, was secondary to the abolition movement. He was even willing to go up against one of the major powers of Europe to keep slavery abolished. When the French government that had abolished slavery was replaced by the conservative French Directory, it was feared that slavery would be reinstated in Haiti. To prevent this, Louverture sent a rather forceful letter, in which he states, “We have known how to confront danger to our liberty, and we will know how to confront death to preserve it.” (Doc B) This direct message says that Haitians will live free or die, as the saying goes. Because it was essential to his character, Toussaint Louverture’s strongest trait to be remembered is his determination in the fight for abolition.

Secondary to Louverture’s role in the freeing of slaves was his role as a strong but harsh leader of Haiti. He was involved in the making of the colony’s constitution when the slaves were freed, a constitution which put him at the head of Saint Domingue and “entrusted the direction thereof for the remainder of his glorious life.” (Doc C) This shows the people’s trust in Louverture to lead them well. One of Louverture’s most disliked policies as a ruler was the decision to continue sugar farming, which is labor intensive work. Though sugar was an important export and vital to the Haitian economy, the farming was work that the former slaves did not want to go back to doing, even if they were getting paid. Toussaint set strict rules on plantation workers in his proclamation in 1801, such as “Any manager or driver of a plantation upon which a foreign cultivator shall have taken refuge shall denounce him… within 24 hours under penalty of one week in prison.” (Doc D) His strict labor policy brought some to rebel against him, like his nephew Hyacinthe Moyse. Sympathetic with the former slaves who were against continuing the plantation work, Moyse allowed revolts to break out on the Northern Plain, as workers massacred white planters. Furious, Toussaint ordered an arrest and execution by firing squad. (Doc E) This was a harsh and somewhat cruel response, and while Toussaint was a good leader of Haiti, it is also important to remember his severity as a ruler. Although not the most significant thing to remember, Louverture’s position as the ruler of Haiti was key part of his life.

Toussaint Louverture was a great military commander, and it is also important to remember him as such. He was strategic, fleeing the French navy at the city of Samana and leaving them with an abandoned and burned-down town instead. (Doc F) He also taught his troops to fight in both guerilla tactics and European shoulder-to-shoulder style, giving them versatility for different situations. (Doc A) Through his knowledge of his race’s character, his humanity, generosity, and bravery, he earned the respect of his troops. (Doc F) He treated them as more than just soldiers, he treated them as fellow fighters in the battle for freedom, having given a speech where he refers to himself and the troops as “we.” (Doc F) While the military did not end up being the most crucial part of his life, it is another facet to his character that should be remembered.

Toussaint Louverture was a complex figure in Haitian history, with different facets of his life that should all be remembered, some more than others. He was most importantly the liberator of the slaves in Saint Domingue, as that was a goal that continued his entire life. Second to that was his controversial role as a leader of Haiti: he was a firm ruler, but perhaps too firm when it came to his policies on plantation labor. Finally, he was a great general, although that was a role that did not take strong precedence in his life. He was a chief figure in the history of abolition, and in world history, as a key part of the Haitian Revolution, the second free country of the New World.

Sources:

Doc A: Timeline created from various sources.

Doc B: Toussaint Louverture, "Letter to the French Directory, November 1797."

Doc C: The Saint Domingue Constitution of 1801. Signed by Toussaint Louverture in July 1801.

Doc D: Toussaint Louverture, "Proclamation, 25 November 1801."

Doc E: Madison Smartt Bell, Toussaint Louverture: A Biography, 2007.

Doc F: William Wells Brown, "A Description of Toussaint Louverture," from The Black Man, His Antecedents, His Genius, and His Achievements, 2nd edition, 1863. Engraving of Toussaint Louverture, 1802.