What if the world’s first Black emperor wasn’t seen as a hero — but as a mystery? In this episode, Le Joseph digs deep into an 1809 British article from The Christian Observer titled “Memoranda Respecting Hayti” — one of the earliest foreign portrayals of Jean-Jacques Dessalines, the founding father of Haiti.

Through translation, commentary, and reflection, this episode takes you beyond the myths and monuments to explore how Dessalines looked through the eyes of those who feared him, misunderstood him, and yet couldn’t ignore him.

We’ll read the original 19th-century text, translate it into Haitian Creole, and break down what it says — and what it hides — about Haiti’s independence, freedom, and the man who made it possible.

🎙 Topics in this episode:

• Dessalines through colonial eyes
• The 1809 Christian Observer portrayal of Haiti
• The contrast between legend and perception
• Haiti’s early independence and identity
• “Independence or Death” — the words that still echo

🔥 Featured Source: Memoranda Respecting Hayti. Christian Observer: Conducted by Members of the Established Church (1805–1861), Feb 1809, Vol. 8, Issue 2, pp. 80-83.

🎧 Listen to the full episode: “Off the Boat with Le Joseph” — available wherever you get your podcasts.

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Produced & published by 718 Wayz Publishing