The Haitian Revolution was a successful insurrection by self-liberated slaves against French colonial rule in Saint-Domingue, now the sovereign state of Haiti, initiated by a slave revolt on this day in 1791.

Although the rebellion began in 1791, Haiti didn't achieve formally achieve independence from France until 1804. The Haitian Revolution was the only slave uprising that led to the founding of a state which was both free from slavery and ruled by its non-white former captives.

The revolt began when thousands of slaves began to kill their masters and plunged the colony into civil war after a well-attended vodou ceremony. Within the next ten days, slaves had taken control of the entire Northern Province in a slave revolt of unprecedented scale.

The slaves sought revenge on their masters through "pillage, rape, torture, mutilation, and death". Over 200,000 black people died from the initial uprising until independence thirteen years later.

Toussaint Louverture was a notable military leader of the revolution, but died shortly before independence was won. His former lieutenant, Jean-Jacques Dessalines, became the first leader of the newly independent nation in 1804.

"Of men who had cowered trembling before the frown of any white ruffian, [Toussaint Louverture] had made in ten years an army which could hold its own with the finest soldiers Europe has yet seen."

  • C.L.R. James, in "The Black Jacobins: Toussaint L'Ouverture and the San Domingo Revolution"

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  • viva_la_juche [they/them, any]
    ·
    2 years ago

    It is wild how quickly fox can’t make boomers do an about face on something

    My mom used to be pretty chill about trans people even trans youth but recently, I have to assume , Fox News must be ramping up the anti-trans shit bc i keep hearing more dumb ass talking points out of her

    Reminds me of my dad acknowledging how clear it was that George Floyd was murdered the day it happened and then starting saying he was no angel and shit a few months later

    • Cromalin [she/her]
      ·
      2 years ago

      same with my parents but it's the new york times and shit. the anti-trans stuff isn't as bad there, and they're at least framing it in terms of concern for trans rights, but they're clearly a lot more conservative on the issue than even a year ago.

      • viva_la_juche [they/them, any]
        ·
        2 years ago

        Both my parents are relatively accepting of trans people (for chuds) but my mom was repeating some “dna” bullshit the other day.

        my dads more overt transphobia

        And my dad thinks trans women can use womens bathroom but only if they’ve had bottom surgery. Says “they’re ruining it for the rest of them”

        If the news started being more mask off I have no doubt it could get them there eventually tho :/