With regard to the Haitian Revolution 1791 to 1804, that rare event, a successful revolt of the enslaved, you cannot begin to understand the Haitian Revolution unless one sees this spectacular event in some ways as a sequel to the revolt against British rule in North America in 1776 that led to the formation of the slaveholding republic still known as the United States of America. That is to say, as I argued in my book, The Counter Revolution of 1776, contrary to these Broadway musicals that use the hip-hop form such as Hamilton, and contrary to what is routinely taught in schools from the Atlantic to the Pacific, the foundation of the United States of America in 1776 took place in no small measure. Because it was revolt against incipient abolitionism in London. That is to say, Somerset's case in June 1772 seemed to be suggesting that slave property, which even then in North America was worth in the millions, might be headed for the dustbin of history, as I explained in some detail in the book, The Counter-Revolution of 1776. Excellent. Just as those in...
The state now known as Zimbabwe, then known as Rhodesia or Southern Rhodesia, revolted against British rule in November 1965 because they thought that London was moving towards decolonization and one person, one vote, one person, one vote leading to African majority rule. And rather than accept that, they tried to continue their white racist minority regime by setting up this new state of Rhodesia. They said at the time that they were walking in the footsteps of 1776. That is to say that 1776 was an attempt to escape the logic of abolition of slavery, and November 1965 in Southern Africa was an attempt to escape the logic of decolonization and one person, one vote, and African majority rule.
Therefore, you cannot begin to understand the travails and the tribulations and the trials experienced by people of African descent. in North America unless you understand that by several orders of magnitude they fought against the formation of the United States of America. They sided with London in its attempt to crush this slaveholders'rebellion just like the Africans did not accept the establishment of the new state of Rhodesia in November 1965. And when you fight a war and lose, you can expect to be penalized and pulverized forevermore unless and until you are able to turn the tables against your oppressors.
And one of the ways we were able to turn the tables against our oppressors was through the Haitian Revolution, 1791 to 1804, which follows quickly upon the footsteps of the formation of the U.S. Constitution and the first convening of Congress. In some ways, it was a rebuke And a reputation of this new slave-holding republic, which is why I start the book with U.S.
President George Washington expressing reservations about the Haitian Revolution, what was to come to be known as the Haitian Revolution. In any case, what happens is that the Africans in the island then known as Hispaniola were able to succeed against the French military. one of the most powerful examples of valor and fortitude known to history to this point, and established this independent black republic in 1804. But, as you might have surmised, there was grave consternation in the slave-holding republic about the success and the victory of the Haitian Revolution. You may recall that if you look at many of the major slave revolts that rocked North America in the period leading up to the U.S.
Civil War. Gabriel's revolt in Virginia circa 1800, Denmark Vesey's revolt circa 1821-22 in South Carolina, Nat Turner's revolt circa 1831 in Virginia. They all had the fingerprints of Haiti all over them, particularly Gabriel's revolt in Virginia in 1800, which takes place at the same time. as the Haitian Revolution is unfolding.
And also, Denmark Vesey's revolt. Recall that Denmark Vesey, in Charleston, South Carolina, was a seafarer, and purportedly, part of his aim and ambition was to not only revolt against slavery and then escape with numerous formerly enslaved, but perhaps even to sail on to freedom in the... island then ruled by Africans, that is to say Haiti. Now what's interesting about many of these revolts is that they're not unlike other revolts that are taking place within the hemisphere in which there is either inspiration by the Haitian revolutionaries or direct instigation by the Haitian revolutionaries. In fact, the argument that I make in this book is that the Haitian Revolution ignited a general crisis of the entire slave system that could only be resolved with that system's collapse.
So if you're trying to understand why slavery collapsed in North America, you should not only look within the four corners of North America, but you should look to Haiti. And as I said in the previous book, Negro Comrades of the Crown, you should also look to the inspiration, if not the instigation, of British abolitionists in London.