Toussaint Louverture was a leader of the Haitian Revolution, which led to the first independent Black republic in 1804. Born enslaved in the French colony of Saint-Domingue (now Haiti) around 1743, Louverture gained his freedom and became a skilled military strategist. When the French Revolution ignited calls for liberty, he led enslaved Africans in a successful rebellion against French, Spanish, and British forces. His leadership helped abolish slavery in the colony by 1793, and by 1801, he had established a constitution granting autonomy to Saint-Domingue. However, in 1802, Napoleon Bonaparte sent forces to reclaim the colony. Louverture was captured, deported to France, and imprisoned, where he died in 1803. Despite his death, his vision endured, as his successor, Jean-Jacques Dessalines carried forward the fight, declaring Haiti’s independence in 1804.

The Joy Trip Project celebrates the enduring legacy of Black American History. The Unhidden Minute is part of the Unhidden Podcast Project supported through a National Geographic Explorer Grant from the National Geographic Society, with the cooperation of the National Park Service. This series elevates the untold stories of Black American historical figures, events and cultural contributions.

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