The Haitian Revolution: Redefining Concepts And History

The Haitian Revolution was the first successful slave revolt against the European colonial power. Called the “Pearl of the Antilles”, the island was the emblem of the wealth of the French empire: it was the most productive and profitable of the American continent. The creation of the state of Haiti was a long process consisting of violence, exploitation and denial of rights; however, from these elements, the black sovereignty arose and affirmed, proving to be able to impose itself and challenge the white sovereignty. The Haitian revolution showed that the emancipation of slaves was possible. The Haitian people were the expression of multiple identities that were capable of being cohesive and united: the black slaves had the courage to oppose the colonial rule and, thus, gained independence. After more than 200 years from these events, the relevance of its concepts is disarming: began about three decades ago with the Subaltern Studies, the debate continues to occupy a relevant space among scholars from all over the world. This thesis redefines the concepts and history of the Haitian revolution with the purpose of giving the right importance to this extraordinary and unique event, too often forgotten by historiography. Giving a voice to those who for centuries had no choice but to accept the silence of the world community means to question all beliefs and ideals of entire communities.