Toussaint Louverture: from slavery to statesman
Toussaint Louverture was born around 1743 on the Bréda plantation, near Cap-Français in the French colony of Saint-Domingue. He was born into slavery, gained his freedom as an adult, and learned to read and write.
General of the revolution
When the enslaved people of the northern plain rose up in August 1791, Toussaint joined them. He proved to be a gifted organizer and commander, and within a few years he was the leading general in the colony. He defeated rival armies, negotiated with foreign powers, and worked to rebuild the economy without slavery.
The Constitution of 1801
In 1801 he issued a constitution for Saint-Domingue. It abolished slavery forever on the island and named him governor for life.
Fort de Joux
Napoleon Bonaparte sent an army to retake control. In 1802 Toussaint was arrested, deported to France, and held at Fort de Joux in the Jura mountains, where he died on 7 April 1803. As he left, he is reported to have said: “In overthrowing me, you have cut down only the trunk of the tree of liberty. It will spring back from the roots, for they are numerous and deep.” Less than a year later, Haiti was independent.
