The Western World’s Debt to Haiti

Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world, has been plagued by political instability, natural disasters, and economic hardship. But the roots of Haiti’s current poverty extend far deeper than recent events. In fact, they trace back to a staggering injustice inflicted upon the newly independent nation in the 19th century. Haiti made payments …

Crown of Faustin I

Soulouque’s process of obtaining absolute power in Haiti culminated in the formation of the Second Empire of Haiti after the Senate and Chamber of Deputies proclaimed him Emperor of Haiti on 26 August 1849, re-establishing the Haitian empire that had been abolished in 1806 following the assassination of Jean-Jacques Dessalines, who served as Emperor Jacques I of the First Empire of Haiti (another monarchy, …

Toussaint Louverture le libérateur d’Haïti – Documentaire

Le documentaire de Noland Walker revient sur la vie, la lutte et l’héritage de Toussaint Louverture. Il est aujourd’hui considéré comme le “libérateur” d’Haïti par l’historiographie haïtienne en particulier et par les intellectuels anticoloniaux en général. Né esclave, Toussaint Louverture est affranchi par son maître. Devenu libre, il devient propriétaire et prend la tête d’une …

L’histoire méconnue de la défaite de Napoléon en Haïti

Entretien avec Jean-Pierre Le Glaunec, Historien, “L’armée indigène, la défaite de Napoléon” aux éditions Lux. En novembre 1803 eut lieu la bataille de Vertières, qui ouvrit la voie à l’indépendance haïtienne et scella une des pires défaites de l’armée napoléonienne. En France, cette bataille a été reléguée aux oubliettes de l’histoire. Jean-Pierre Le Glaunec lève …

Institut de la Maison Impériale d’Haïti condemns assassination of Haiti’s President Jovenel Moïse

The Institut de la Maison Impériale d’Haïti condemns in the strongest terms the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse of the Republic of Haiti. The perpetrators of this terrible crime must be brought to justice. The Institute extends its deepest condolences to the family of the late President and to the people and Government of Haiti. The Institut de …

La Gazette Royale

The impressive La Gazette Royale project, which Mrs. Marlene L. Daut first began developing in 2014, is designed to collect and concentrate for the first time all the known issues of the two newspapers published during Henry Christophe’s rule of northern Haiti, as well as the six different versions of the Almanach Royal d’Hayti issued by the …

Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the Haitian Revolution of 1791-1804

Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the Haitian Revolution of 1791-1804, BBC 4 Radio, Thu 23 Oct 2014. Reading List Joan Dayan, Haiti, History and the Gods (University of California Press, 1998) Laurent Dubois, Avengers of the New World: The Story of the Haitian Revolution (Harvard University Press, 2004) Carolyn E. Fick, The Making of Haiti: The Saint-Domingue Revolution from Below (University …

Baron de Vastey and the Origins of Black Atlantic Humanism

This book brings to light the contributions of Haitian statesman Baron de Vastey in the development of postcolonial and critical race theory. The book demonstrates the influence of de Vastey’s writings and the work of prominent nineteenth and early twentieth-century abolitionists and anti-colonialists. Finally the work argues for the significance of writing by people of color …

Creating the Atlantic’s Orphan: British Interpretations of Haiti Over Two Hundred Years

by Jack Webb, ILAS Stipendiary Fellow Since defeating the imperial armies of Britain, France, and Spain during the Haitian Revolution (1791–1804), Haiti has been struggling to achieve recognition of its right to sovereignty. In Britain, Haiti has been perceived as lacking an appropriate and capable government ever since Jacques Dessalines declared independence in 1804, a …

The British Museum, in association with the The Asahi Shimbun newspaper, presents: A revolutionary legacy: Haiti and Toussaint Louverture.

This temporary spotlight display opens on February 22nd and runs until April 22nd. It includes a selection of objects, artworks and poetry from the 18th century to the present to explore the legacy of the Haitian Revolution and its leader Toussaint Louverture. I cannot recall when exactly I learned the revolutionary leader Toussaint Bréda had …

Slave quarters of Sally Hemings, the maid who gave birth to six of Thomas Jefferson’s children, are uncovered and excavated at his Monticello mansion

Archaeologists have unearthed and excavated an area in Thomas Jefferson’s plantation home that was once the living quarters of Sally Hemings – a slave with whom he is believed to have had six children. Her room, which was built in 1809 and was 14 feet, 8 inches wide and 13 feet long, was next to …