'The Black Jacobins: Toussaint L'ouverture and the San Domingo Revolution' by C.L.R. James is a detailed account of the Haitian Revolution, focusing on the leadership of Toussaint L'Ouverture. The book delves into the complexities of the slave uprisings in San Domingo, now Haiti, during the French Revolution. It highlights the unique historical significance of the successful slave revolt, led by Toussaint, against the oppressive colonial forces. Through a mix of historical narrative and biographical elements, the book portrays Toussaint as a heroic figure who fought against slavery and colonialism, ultimately shaping the destiny of Haiti.

The writing style of 'The Black Jacobins' has been described as passionate, fiery, and academic. C.L.R. James combines historical facts with personal insights, offering a comprehensive and unflinching examination of the Haitian Revolution. The book provides a detailed portrayal of the political, social, and economic landscape of the time, shedding light on the struggles faced by the enslaved population and the leadership of Toussaint L'Ouverture in their fight for freedom.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is engaging and vivid, blending extensive research with a passionate narrative that can be both accessible and dense.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot features captivating battle scenes, stirring calls for freedom, and complex political maneuvers, highlighting both heroic and tragic elements of the historical struggle.

Setting:

The setting encompasses the French colony of San Domingo, present-day Haiti, amidst the backdrop of the late 18th century and the French Revolution.

Pacing:

The pacing varies, with fast-paced action during battles contrasted by slower sections focusing on political analysis.

The slavers scoured the coasts of Guinea. As they devastated an area they moved westward and then south, decade after decade, past the Niger, down the Congo coast, past Loango and Angola, round the Ca...

Genres:

historical nonfiction

biography

political science

Topics:

Notes:

The Black Jacobins details the Haitian Revolution from 1791 to 1803, describing how enslaved people fought against oppression and colonial powers.

Haiti was known as San Domingo, the richest colony in the world due to its sugar and coffee plantations worked by African slaves.

The revolt was triggered by the ideals of the French Revolution, leading enslaved people to demand their freedom and rights.

Toussaint L'Ouverture, originally Toussaint Bréda, was a prominent leader of the revolution, known for his military strategy and political maneuvering.

The book highlights the brutality of slavery, with horrific punishments inflicted on enslaved people, including executions using explosives.

Despite the brutal conditions, slaves in San Domingo developed strategies of everyday resistance and sabotage against their masters.

Toussaint's leadership was complex; he allied with different European powers, including initially fighting against the French, and later aligning with them when they abolished slavery.

The Haitian Revolution is noted as the only successful slave revolt in history, leading to the establishment of Haiti as the first black republic.

CLR James, a Trinidadian scholar, wrote this book in 1938, using a Marxist lens to discuss issues of class and race during the revolution.

Toussaint's commitment to the abolition of slavery and his subsequent political strategies illustrate the complexity of revolutionary leadership.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

The book deals with heavy themes including violence, slavery, racism, and brutality, which may be distressing to some readers.

From The Publisher:

A classic and impassioned account of the first revolution in the Third World.

This powerful, intensely dramatic book is the definitive account of the Haitian Revolution of 1794-1803, a revolution that began in the wake of the Bastille but became the model for the Third World liberation movements from Africa to Cuba. It is the story of the French colony of San Domingo, a place where the brutality of master toward slave was commonplace and ingeniously refined. And it is the story of a barely literate slave named Toussaint L'Ouverture, who led the black people of San Domingo in a successful struggle against successive invasions by overwhelming French, Spanish, and English forces and in the process helped form the first independent nation in the Caribbean.

Ratings (2)

Incredible (1)
Loved It (1)

Reader Stats (6):

Read It (2)
Currently Reading (1)
Want To Read (3)

What can you read after
The Black Jacobins: Toussaint L'ouverture and the San Domingo Revolution?

See the list (100 books)

About the Author:

C.L.R. James was born January 4, 1901, in Trinidad. In 1918 James received his teaching certificate from Queens Royal College. One of his pupils, Eric Williams, was later the first Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. During the 1930s and after World War II, he covered cricket for The Manchester Guardian. In 1938 James came to the United States, but he was deported fifteen years later, during the McCarthy era. While interned on Ellis Island, James wrote Mariners, Renegades and Castaways: The Story of Herman Melville and the World We Live In (1953). His other books include Minty Alley (1927), World Revolution (1937), A History of Negro Revolt (1977), Notes on Dialects (1980), and At the Rendezvous of Victory (1984). The United States government allowed James to return in 1970, and became a member of the faculty at Federal City College in Washington. Before his death on May 31, 1989, in London, C.L.R. James was awarded Trinidad and Tobago's highest honor, the Trinity Cross.

Meet New Books is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products and services on amazon.com and its subsidiaries.
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.

The Black Jacobins: Toussaint L'ouverture and the San Domingo Revolution

C.L.R. James