How Should We Remember Toussaint Louverture?

Every country has events in their past that have shaped the systems and guidelines in which the people live according to. Some countries even owe their success to a particular person or group of people. In the case of Haiti a lot has been changed, and Toussaint Louverture took part in a large amount of it. The island of Hispaniola was what Columbus called the territory, then the french took over and renamed the western third of the island Saint Domingue, additionally in 1804 the entire island was renamed Haiti. Toussaint was born sometime in the 1740s and served as a slave during the first part of his life. After being granted freedom, Toussaint stepped up as a leader, and changed the lives of many. He led a very successful slave revolution and contributed hugely to the independence of Haiti. This man played multiple roles throughout his life and made a difference based on what he believed was right. The most important parts of Toussaint Louverture’s legacy is that he was a Liberator of slaves, Military Commander, and Ruler of Saint Domingue. Although Toussaint’s accomplishments as Ruler of Saint Domingue are very important his role as Military Commander was more relevant, also his presence as Liberator of slaves is the most important part of his legacy. This is because he powerfully changed people's lives and ended an unfair system.

Most importantly we should remember Toussaint Louverture as a liberator of slaves. In 1791 he served as a doctor to the troops revolting against slavery, and also commanded a small detachment of slave soldiers. (Document A) Later on he stopped the revolt because for a short time France abolished slavery. He used his freedom as an advantage, so he could encourage and lead enslaved people to their freedom. He was also willing to go to extremes to fight for what he thought was right, which in this case is an end to slavery. “Could men who have once enjoyed the benefits of liberty look on calmly while it is taken from them!... We have known how to confront danger to our liberty, and we will know how to confront death to preserve it.” (Document B) In this excerpt from a letter written from Toussaint Louverture to the French Directory he states that the people have already been freed, they have tasted liberty and they would never just standby while it was taken from them; they would fight to the death for what they believe in rather than letting basic rights be taken away from them without a say in the matter. Toussaint also helped write the Constitution of 1801, which clearly states the rights of the former slaves and every man. “All men are born, live, and die free and French….Each cultivator and each member of the family and is entitled to a share in the revenues.” (Document C) In this document Toussaint Louverture states that former slaves are entitled to freedom, and that the workers are to be treated equally to a member of the family that would do work on the plantation. In the Constitution the emphasis is on the fairness and family like aspect of the new system, how all people should be treated equally. Toussaint Louverture was a free man, so he used his talents to the advantage of others by fighting for an end to slavery; he should first and foremost be remembered as a liberator of slaves.

Toussaint Louverture had many roles as a leader, one of them was being a military commander. He was a large part of the success of the Haitian revolution and his contribution impacted the revolt in many ways. When his own nephew challenged and rebelled against his new policies regarding plantation farming, he did what he would do to any other, as if Moyse wasn’t a relative of his. “Toussaint ordered Moyse’s arrest and had him confined in the fort of Port de Paix…. Brought before a firing squad, Moyse himself gave the order to fire.” (Document E) Toussaint Louverture was doing what needed to be done to oppress the revolts. He needed to set an example no matter if the population liked his way of controlling or not. When Napoleon decided Saint Domingue was to be taken over, and the people knew his probable goal was to reinstate slavery, Toussaint used war tactics that were not familiar to the Europeans. “The French, however, [landed], but they found nothing but smouldering ruins, where once stood splendid cities. Toussaint and his generals at once abandoned the towns, and betook themselves to the mountains, those citadels of freedom in St. Domingo, where the blacks have always proved too much for the whites.” (Document F) Toussaint burned down the city the French were coming to invade, and with his army retreated to the mountains. This caused the french army to follow them and have a disadvantage; Toussaint and his men would then be able to use guerrilla style warfare; a style not known to their opponents. Toussaint used his knowledge of military skill in an appropriate way. He set an example and made sure he could control the rebellions rising up; this may have caused some people to dislike him but he still was militarily successful.

Toussaint Louverture was also a Ruler of Saint Domingue, this role was one that contributed to his success as a leader. In the Saint Domingue Constitution of 1801, which was signed by Toussaint Louverture, its states that “The colony being essentially agricultural cannot suffer the least disruption in the works of its cultivation.” (Document C) He approves this statement which tells everyone that because the economic system of Saint Domingue was so reliant on agricultural works, this was to be the main focus. He also proclaimed that “Any individual… tending to incite sedition shall be brought before a court martial…. Any manager or driver of a plantation upon which a foreign cultivator shall have taken refuge shall denounce him to the captain or commander of the section within 24 hours under penalty of one week in prison.” (Document D) These proclamations were building off of the statement made in the constitution of 1801. Toussaint was willing to be more harsh with the guidelines and punishments because what was right for the island may not be what the people may have thought. Toussaint Louverture was a forceful but effective ruler, and always had the best in mind for the people when it came down to his role as Ruler of Saint Domingue.

Although Toussaint Louverture was a skilled military commander, and a respected Ruler of Saint Domingue, his major accomplishments lie under the category of Liberator of slaves. He took it upon himself to stand up for the enslaved people by writing a letter to the French directory daring them to reinstate slavery in Saint Domingue, and outlining their rights in the Constitution of 1801. Though he was not always kind in the way enforced his rules, everything he did was to make life better for the slaves. He was a very successful leader, and he was a large part in getting Haiti’s independence granted to them.

Sources

Document A: Created from various sources.

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

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

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

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

Document 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.