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Chapter Reference: Independence; Postcolonial Blues
Haiti began as the French side of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, divided between France and Spain. While Haiti does not fit within the normal historical meaning of Latin America, as defined by Iberian colonization, it nevertheless plays an important role in Latin American history. The reason is simple. The Haitian Revolution of the 1790s was the worst nightmare of Latin American slave owners, the greatest cautionary tale ever told on the plantations of the Americas. It occurred when French control over Haiti weakened during France's own revolutionary spasms. As doctrines of the "rights of man" rang in the streets of Paris, Haitian slaves rose up to slaughter and drive out the French plantation owners altogether. Their leader was Toussaint L'Ouverture, a former slave imbued with the spirit of the French Revolution. Haiti became a black republic, one that dominated the Spanish half of the island, as well. In 1815, at the low point of his struggle against Spain, Simón Bolívar got material aid and moral support from Haitian president Petión, who asked in return only that Bolívar free Venezuelan slaves. A paper on the Haitian Revolution should definitely include the classic work, The Black Jacobins.
Questions for Analysis and Further Reflection:
- What were the characteristics of Haiti under French domination?
- How does the Haitian Revolution fit into the larger story of the wars of independence in Latin America? How did the revolution inspire or damper other independence movements?
- Since the early 1800s, the relationship between Haiti and the Dominican Republic has been full of tensions, much like that of the U.S. and Mexico. What are some of the main sources of tension, and how have these affected Haitian-Dominican relations throughout the twentieth century?
Bibliography: (Titles with ** are good starting places.)
Arthur, Charles, and Michael Dash, eds. Libèrte: A Haiti Anthology. Princeton, NJ: Markus
Wiener Publishers, 1999.
A useful selection of primary and secondary sources on topics in Haitian history ranging from colonization to the turn of the twenty-first century.
** Bellegarde-Smith, Patrick. Haiti: The Breached Citadel. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1990.
This account emphasizes the political, economic, and social results of the revolution, then concentrates on Haiti in the twentieth century. Maps and photos are interspersed throughout the text. Appendices, notes, a bibliographical essay, and an index follow the narrative.
Bell, Madison Smartt. Master of the Crossroads. New York: Pantheon Books, 2000.
A novel about Toussiant L'Ouverture and the slave uprising in Haiti that led to independence.
** Fick, Carolyn E. The Making of Haiti: The Saint Domingue Revolution from Below.
Knoxville: The University of Tennessee Press, 1990.
A well-written scholarly treatment of the Haitian revolution.
Geggus, David P., ed. The Impact of the Haitian Revolution in the Atlantic World. Columbia,
SC: University of South Carolina Press, 2001.
Most chapters of this edited volume look at the impact of the revolution in the U.S., though a handful explore its reach to Cuba and Colombia. The first three chapters provide a general overview of the revolution.
** James, C.L.R. The Black Jacobins: Toussaint L'Ouverture and the San Domingo
Revolution, 2nd rev. ed. New York: Vintage, 1989.
A must-read classic for students interested in the revolution and the history of Haiti.
** Knight, Franklin W. The Caribbean: The Genesis of a Fragmented Nationalism, 2nd ed.
New York: Oxford University Press, 1990.
Knight's regional history aims to put the national experience of each country within the larger historical context of the Caribbean. The survey begins with a comparative look at the pre-Hispanic Caribbean, shifts to colonization, slavery and plantation society, and then turns to imperial fragmentation. In the second half of the book, Knight focuses on individual national cases. Maps, tables, a timeline, and a bibliographical essay on suggested readings are included.
Matibag, Eugenio. Haitian-Dominican Counterpoint: Nation, State, and Race on Hispaniola.
New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003.
A scholarly interpretation of Haitian-Dominican relations.
Nicholls, David. From Dessalines to Duvalier: Race, Colour and National Independence in
Haiti. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1979.
An overview of Haiti since independence, looking closely at the role of race, and balancing the account between political, social, and cultural history.
Palmer, Colin A., and Franklin W. Knight, eds. The Modern Caribbean. Chapel Hill: The
University of North Carolina Press, 1989.
This collection of essays on the Caribbean region is intended for the general public and undergraduate students. A detailed bibliography is included.
Other Resources:
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