The Black Jacobins: Toussaint L’Ouverture and the San Domingo Revolution

Born into slavery in San Domingo, Toussaint Bréda, as he was called, was a weak child who enjoyed a superior (for a slave) education. Over time, he developed stamina and physical prowess. A month after the first slave uprisings of 1791, Toussaint, who was then in his forties, set his affairs in order on the plantation where he worked and joined the revolution. Intelligent and charismatic, he went on to become a great general and the central figure of the Haitian Revolution. From 1791 until his death in 1803 in France, Toussaint worked to further the cause of the slaves, though he stopped short of advocating independence from France. His story lies at the center of The Black Jacobins.

James draws on Toussaint’s letters and personal interactions to characterize him as a charismatic, friendly, and persuasive leader. He also depicts Toussaint as a tragic hero, pointing to Toussaint’s unwillingness to explain his decisions to the masses as a fatal flaw that lost him the support of the lower classes, without which he had no hope of overthrowing the established powers.

Andre Rigaud, a goldsmith by trade, was an influential Mulatto leader during the San Domingo revolution. Prior to participating in the revolution, Rigaud served in the French army during the American War of Independence. Whereas Toussaint’s power was centered on the Blacks in the north, Rigaud’s influence was grounded in Mulattoes and free blacks of the south. Unlike Toussaint, Rigaud was “undoubtedly narrow-minded” and susceptible to flattery by European powers (181). Within the text, Rigaud appears as an occasional rival of Toussaint.

A French abolitionist, Sonthonax originally traveled to San Domingo as a commissioner in the early days of the French Revolution. He promptly defeated and deported many royalist sympathizers. He is also known for publishing a decree abolishing slavery, though it was not until a similar decree was ratified in France that he gained the trust of the Black generals. Sonthonax’s unwavering commitment to abolition made him a popular figure among the Blacks, including Toussaint. For reasons not fully understood, Toussaint forced Sonthonax to leave San Domingo in 1797. 

One of the slave rebellion’s most capable generals, Dessalines shared Toussaint’s gift for military strategy but lacked Toussaint’s education and polish. More radical than Toussaint, he was known for his bold maneuvers and uncompromising treatment of the White colonists. Not long after the arrival of Bonaparte’s expedition, Dessalines set his vision on achieving independence. Following Toussaint’s deportation to France, Dessalines assumed command of the revolutionary forces and led a successful campaign for independence.