As the leader of the first successful independence movement in Latin America, Toussaint Louverture is memorialized in this portrait titled as “Toussaint Louverture Chef des Noirs Insurgés de Saint Domingue,” collected by the John Carter Brown Archive of Early American Images. The portrait, included in a collection of portraits of generals during the French Revolution published in Paris around 1800, depicts Louverture on a horse, carrying a sword, wearing traditional French military attire, with fortifications and a ship behind him, representing his strong leadership of the Haitian Revolution, his inspiration from the French Revolution and his contributions to the formation of independence within Latin America.

As a French colony, Saint Domingue contained a vast population of enslaved Africans, that at its peak totaled at least half a million people, with a considerable population of free People of Color. Contributing 2/5 of the world’s sugar and 1/2 of the world’s coffee as part of the French empire, the colony and its people watched the Estates General of French Revolution dismiss their desires for emancipation and individual rights. As shown in the portrait of the revolutionary leader, not only does his uniform reveal French inspiration in what Louverture wore and how he led, but also represents the influenced rhetoric within Saint Domingue. Using language of republicanism, enslaved people and free People of Color advocated and fought for their own rights, using the French Revolution as its source. Mobilized and led by Toussaint Louverture, formerly enslaved people and initially fought for the French against the British and Spanish in exchange for freedom, but their efforts turned towards independence as threats of slavery loomed over them. Haitian independence was successfully declared, making Saint Domingue the second colony to rid itself of its former colonizer and the first to outlaw slavery. (Dawson, 12)

The results of Haiti were heard around the colonies. However, it did not immediately push the colonies toward independence. (Wood, 27) In fact, colonies only grew in fear of slave uprisings, inspiring planters to discipline enslaved people further. When the colonies began to entertain the idea of independence, Haiti inspired revolutionary leaders to consider slavery as part of their agenda. Enslaved people themselves used Haitian language of emancipation and rights to argue for their freedom. Enslaved people were not monolithic, however, as many chose to fight on behalf of the royalist army, in belief that the Spanish and the royalist army would reward their military efforts with emancipation. Juntas openly criticized slavery and banned the slave trade, with legal promises to phase slavery out of their regions. Liberal and now infamous revolutionary leaders, such as Francisco Miranda and Simon Bolivar, mobilized enslaved people to fight for independence, promising emancipation in return. (Dawson, 12)

The portrait of Louverture represents much more than a general on horseback. It displays a nation of formerly enslaved people courageous enough to fight against 3 dominant and colonial powers for their right to freedom. The painting reveals French republican influence on Saint Domingue, as well as the influence Haiti had on the Spanish colonies, as they showed the colonies how powerful people can be when they join together against colonialism. Through Haiti, liberals learned they were to confront the issue of slavery if they wanted to gain independence. Military leaders like Miranda and Bolivar followed Louverture in his tactics to mobilize enslaved people in their fight for political sovereignty. Haiti served as a model, like the portrait of Louverture, of what Spanish colonies were capable of if they incorporated everyone in their battle for self-rule.

Works Cited:

Dawson, Alexander. Latin America since Independence: A History with Primary Sources. 3^rd ed. New York: Routledge, 2022.

Wood, James A. and Anna Rose Alexander, editors. Problems in Modern Latin American History: Sources and Interpretations. 5^th ed. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2019.