TOUSSAINT LOUVERTURE

humiliation. A few months later, as he had predicted, the struggles for independence continued in Saint-Domingue. Dessalines, Christophe, Petion, Capois-la-Mort and the remaining Haitian soldiers fiercely fought against the French army on November 18, 1803 and defeated Napoleon's troops. This event marked the end of slavery and the birth of the first independent black nation in the New World on January 1, 1804. The entire island recovered its original name Ayiti (Haiti) meaning “land of mountains.” Toussaint Louverture is one of the many African heroes of the slave era. His life story presents many lessons yet to be learned.

Born on May 20, 1743, Francois Dominique Toussaint Louverture was the son of Gaou Guinou, an African King of Dahomey (presently Benin) whose tribes (Aradas) were deported to the Island of Saint-Domingue (today, Haiti and the Dominican Republic) to work on the coffee and sugar plantations. Toussaint grew up on the Breda plantation located on the outskirts of Cap-Haitien. He worked as a herdsman, a coachman and then a steward on the estate of his master Bayon Libertat. In 1776, he became a free man as well as a caretaker and an overseer. Toussaint acquired a small wealth in cultivating coffee, of which Haiti has been the first provider in the world.

According to researcher Reginal Souffrant, "Toussaint Louverture symbolizes the pride of people of color in general. He was a multi-dimensional human being, a great visionary, a superb administrator, a great military man, an astute, and a very intelligent diplomat. He was also a great internationalist because he had a plan to abolish slavery worldwide."

Toussaint would rise from the depth of slavery to become the inspired leader of the fight for the black men's freedom and one ofthe best and most celebrated black revolutionaries of the Americas. On July 14, 1789 when France was stormed by an angry mob, with its new ideologies, the spark of rebellion began to light up in the heart of every black slave. At that time, the slaves were about 500,000 on the island, for 30,000 white colonists. During the night of August 22 and 23, 1791, at a secret meeting held in Bois-Caiman by the Jamaican-born vodou priest Boukman, the signal of the uprising was launched. The slaves vowed to live free or die. Toussaint Louverture was then leading a troop of 2,000 people. Although he was small and frail, Toussaint possessed a character of steel and great moral strength. He gained the respect and confidence of all black soldiers. The chiefs of the blacks' armies well trained rallied with Spain, which occupied the Eastern part of the Island. This allowed Toussaint to reorganize his troops and provide them with all the necessary ammunition. The slaves revolt spread throughout the entire French colony.

As France kept its words to outlaw slavery, Toussaint soon joined against Britain, which declared war on its neighbor and was on the verge of successfully occupying the entire island. On the side of France, Toussaint was at the height of his power leading 4,000 soldiers and controlling several cities of Saint-Domingue.

He earned the name “l'ouverture” which means “opening,” for as French soldier. The intrepid black leader and his troops defeated both Spain and the mighty British army. He became soon master of the island. He was promoted General in chief of the army of Saint-Domingue in 1797.

In 1801, he became Governor General for life. His last achievement burst into rage and indignation Napoleon Bonaparte who organized in 1802 an expeditionary fleet toward the island in order to reestablish slavery in the colony.

At the beginning of the French invasion, Toussaint attempted to resist the overwhelming force of 20,000 French soldiers. Christophe, Dessalines, and Maurepas surrendered to the Frenchs. On June 7, 1802, the French General Leclerc ordered the arrest of Toussaint who was captured through treachery during a conference set up by General Brunet.

His wife and his assistant later joined him aboard a vessel “Le Heros” that would take him to France. However, before leaving, Toussaint Louveture let out defiantly his last words: “In capturing me, you have only cut the trunk of the tree of black people's liberty. It will spring up again by the roots, for they are deep and numerous.” On August 1802, Toussaint was jailed without judgement in the Fort-de-Joux prison located in the cold mountain of France.

Toussaint's health rapidly declined due to the freezing temperature of the Mount Jura.
Separated from his family and friends, he died on April 7, 1803 of ill treatment, cold and