Today in History - Slave Revolt in Haiti

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Toussaint L'Ouverture

On this day in 1790, the slaves revolted in Haiti, and although this revolt was later suppressed, eventually they succeeded in obtaining freedom. The Haitian Revolution (1791–1804) was a period of brutal conflict in the French colony of Saint-Domingue, leading to the elimination of slavery and the establishment of Haiti as the first republic ruled by people of African ancestry.

One of the most successful African American commanders was Toussaint L'Ouverture, a self-educated former domestic slave. He initially fought for the Spanish Crown in this period. After the British had invaded Saint-Domingue, L'Ouverture decided to fight for the French, if they would agree to free all the slaves, which they did on 29 August 1793. L'Ouverture worked with a French general, Étienne Laveaux, to ensure all slaves would be freed. He brought his forces over to the French side in May 1794, and began to fight for the French Republic.

The Slave Revolt in Haiti brought thousands of Haitian refugees to the Atlantic coastal towns of the United States in the 1790s. Many of the Haitian women sold produce at local markets, introducing new vegetables & changing the way early Americans ate.
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