Black Spartacus: The Epic Life of Toussaint Louverture

I would have loved to read about Toussaint as a novel. I did not enjoy all the footnotes and instructions to go back to previous mentions in the book. Fascinating character and amazing his recognition all over Europe. I did not enjoy reading this

Book was a gift. Recipient was pleased and enjoyed the book.

Toussaint Louverture, emancipator and liberator of Saint Domingue, the modern-day island nation of Haiti, is the subject of a new biography by Sudhir Hazareesingh titled Black Spartacus: The Epic Life of Toussaint Louverture. And may I say that the subtitle says it all. If anyone lived an epic life, it is this man, and Hazareesingh captures it perfectly in his new book.

Revolutions and slave revolts have a significant place in the AP World History curriculum and especially in my classroom, so this biography is especially significant to me. Eric Beckman has done great work in centering the Haitian Revolution in the story of the Age of Revolutions, and a teacher wanting to do that would do well to supplement Erics terrific resources with excerpts from this book.

But this book is for absolutely anyone that loves history. Hazareesingh lays out from the beginning what makes Louverture an important subject and how he has been portrayed in previous biographies, providing an overview of how this new biography paints a unique portrait of the revolutionary. I had not read a book featuring Louverture or the Haitian Revolution before (although The Black Count is wonderful and features Saint Domingue throughout the same time period), and I jumped into the story with ease because of the way Hazareesingh frames his narrative and guides the reader through the epic story.

A key detail that is easy to miss to someone not familiar with the Haitian Revolution is that it happened in two stages, and thus Louvertures revolutionary life has at least two stages as well: 1) the slave revolt and emancipation of Saint Domingue/Haitis slaves, while still under Frances control, and 2) Haitis slow march to independence and the ensuing war with Napoleon to fight for that independence. That makes every moment of Louvertures biography full of suspense, the reader wondering what events are yet to unfold and how they will commence. Given how sparse the records are for Louvertures early life, a large percentage of the biography is devoted to these famous events, which I usually consider a blessing. However, I would have loved to know more about Louvertures early life as a slave. It is disappointing that the one subject of a biography whose early life would be immensely interesting simply doesnt have the historical sources to provide us with that knowledge.

Hazareesinghs treatment of Louverture was especially helpful in understanding the man in full form. His religion seems to have had a terrific impact on his life, as Hazareesingh declares:
His sentiments of brotherhood were reinforced by his Catholic faith, which cemented his belief in the potential for social regeneration: there was an underlying meaning and purpose to human existence, and all men and women were equally worthy of Gods grace, irrespective of their race or colour.

At the same time, however, the idea that Louverture was a black man influenced primarily by European culture and ideas is a falsity. Hazareesingh is clear on the depth of Vodous effect on Louvertures consciousness and his immersion in African culture. It is common that intellectuals and laymen alike will overemphasize the links between, for instance, the French Revolution and the Haitian Revolution, suggesting that Louverture was simply applying the same ideas in his context. The most famous example of this is C.L.R. Jamess The Black Jacobins, which Hazareesingh skillfully dissects:
The Black Jacobins assessment of the events in Saint-Domingue as ultimately deriving from European ideals and political forms exaggerated the closeness of the links between radical movements in France and Saint-Domingue, and downplayed the breathtaking originality of Toussaint and his comrades.
In the same vein, Louvertures accomplishments (and those of his men) cannot be diminished as primarily an effect of the French Revolution:
Especially in standard French accounts of the Haitian Revolution, abolitionism in Saint-Domingue is typically portrayed as a product of the stimulating winds of the French Revolution, notably through the ending of slavery by Commissioner Sonthonax in August 1793, rather than an expression of radical thinking among the rebels. Yet it has been convincingly shown that the Sonthonax decree was only made possible by the sustained actions of the black revolutionaries.

I am not even a fan of military history in general, but the way Hazareesingh frames the narrative and provides a thematic foreground makes this biography unique. I especially enjoyed reading about Louvertures pioneering guerrilla tactics, the details of which were singularly impressive.

If you love reading history, I am confident you will love the story of Louverture in Black Spartacus. Its thick (though not Ron Chernow thick), but it is worth the time to understand the life of a revolutionary mind and see the world through a unique point of view. Louvertures story will move you and make you think differently at the same time.

I received a review copy of Black Spartacus courtesy of Farrar, Straus, and Giroux Publishing and NetGalley, but my opinions are my own.

Toussaint L’ouverture was saluted by Laveaux (governor of Saint-Domingue, Haiti nowadays, who insured the law that freed slaves was enforced) as the “savior of legitimate Authority and hailed as the black Spartacus for his leadership and his avenging the crimes perpetuated against his race.” That was the first time he was hailed as such; a heroic figure of ancient times who staved off his captors. “And this is the approximate time of the turning point where a deathblow for the authority of Metropolitan France happened and a declaration that the end of white rule and the birth of black power can be dated.” Ch 4, pg. 99

Such powerful stuff! Deciphering the life ofa man like Toussaint L’ouverture is not simple by any means. The author does such a good job at delving into such a complex man as Toussaint L’ouverture because this is a man who was a Soldier, Statesman, Revolutionary leader and a man of vast ideas who balanced between Christian, Creole and African philosophies/ideals and cultures… as well as being a politician! For such a complex man this is such an in-depth biography that I believe everybody should read in order to get a better hint of what this mystery man did in his legendary life, and to get a better picture of the Haitian revolution and how Sir L’ouverture played his tremendous part in it. At times in the book I found myself thinking I can’t believe that he did some of these things because his acts seemed super human at times; not only to me but to his enemies and associates alike. The way he strategized and was always multiple steps ahead of his enemies made him a super tactician, and he was highly respected by his troops and feared + respected by enemies alike. Some thought that he had super powers or using black magic because of how he always knew things that he shouldn’t have possibly known; this due to him having ears all over Saint-domingue. It seemed like he was always prepared for everything until the end when the French did something that he couldn’t have possibly seen coming and locked him up in a prison to die. Such a cowardly act could be the only possible way to defeat a seemingly super human being such as Sir Toussaint L’ouverture! He was the revolution of Haiti, and it wasn’t even televised ( I apologize for the pain and I’ll see my way out)!

Such a tremendous read! I commend Dr. Sudhir Hazareesingh for his scholarly research and his simple, yet effective way of bringing this story to us! He has such a way of conveying all of the known events that transpired in Toussaint l’ouverture is life, and I was always entertained and well-informed as I read this book.

The book is diligently sourced with quotes, letters and newspaper etchings from the day, as well as being lavishly Illustrated with there being at least one illustration per chapter and a whole slew of illustrations in the middle portion of the book. Now this is my type of history book/biography! Read it and be informed.

I feel such privilege to have been able to read this book. And I mean this fully. Toussaint Louverture was a remarkable man who has shaped the world as we know it, it more ways than one. He is the one who pushed the first and largest domino to bring about emancipation of slavery in the western world.

But to bring this man, and all his layers to a book as well written and as well balanced as this takes an enormous amount of time, effort and obsession.

When you read this book, you will read of about a man who, despite being surrounded by misery, hardship and the vilest of human behaviour, was able to hold himself and the soldiers who fought under him during the Haitian Revolution to the highest of standards.

Toussaint Louverture held himself unfalteringly to the upmost ethical, Christian, military and political standards, even when these standards may conflict. He exuded genius; he achieved incredibly hard feats with a “Louvertarian” flare which I can only describe as “intelligence with ease and charm”.

I am truly grateful for Sudhir Hazareesingh for this book. I will always treasure what I have learnt

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