Toussaint's Beginning & the Start of the Revolution
Toussaint L' Ouverture is an enigmatic figure. He has been called the Black Napoleon and the Black George Washington. There is much speculation as to the exact date Toussaint L’ Ouverture was born. The general time frame is between the years of 1739-1746. Toussaint’s original last name was Bréda, named after the plantation owner. (Bell, 2007,p.69).
Toussaint worked as a slave then as an overseer to slaves on the Bréda plantation. It is not known when Toussaint left the plantation. However, in 1789 Toussaint was living on the Northern Plain near his former slave plantation. He claimed to be over fifty years old. Death rates were high for working slaves, so Toussaint would have been considered elderly. What is even more remarkable, was Toussaint would go on to lead a rebellion against the French government for ten years.(Bell, 2007, p.16-17).
Sometime after he left his plantation life behind him, Toussaint changed his last name to L’Ouverture. During the fall of 1791, Toussaint was living in the mountains and recruiting slaves to join the revolt against France. At this point, since France was at war with Spain, Toussaint was allowed to join the French army. Toussaint also attempted to recruit other French soldiers to join the cause in 1793. On August 29, 1793, when Toussaint made his public plea to the French army in the form of a written proclamation; Félicité Sonthonax, a commissioner and chief representative of Saint-Domingue abolished the slave trade in the colony. (Bell, 2007, p.18-19). Toussaint was part of a group of soldiers called commanduers who considered themselves to be leaders in the revolt. For more about the Haitian revolution, please visit: http://www.blackpast.org/?q=gah/haitian-revolution-1791-1804.
Toussaint worked as a slave then as an overseer to slaves on the Bréda plantation. It is not known when Toussaint left the plantation. However, in 1789 Toussaint was living on the Northern Plain near his former slave plantation. He claimed to be over fifty years old. Death rates were high for working slaves, so Toussaint would have been considered elderly. What is even more remarkable, was Toussaint would go on to lead a rebellion against the French government for ten years.(Bell, 2007, p.16-17).
Sometime after he left his plantation life behind him, Toussaint changed his last name to L’Ouverture. During the fall of 1791, Toussaint was living in the mountains and recruiting slaves to join the revolt against France. At this point, since France was at war with Spain, Toussaint was allowed to join the French army. Toussaint also attempted to recruit other French soldiers to join the cause in 1793. On August 29, 1793, when Toussaint made his public plea to the French army in the form of a written proclamation; Félicité Sonthonax, a commissioner and chief representative of Saint-Domingue abolished the slave trade in the colony. (Bell, 2007, p.18-19). Toussaint was part of a group of soldiers called commanduers who considered themselves to be leaders in the revolt. For more about the Haitian revolution, please visit: http://www.blackpast.org/?q=gah/haitian-revolution-1791-1804.