Overview

A moving and humane portrait of the abolitionist revolutionary Jean-Jacques Dessalines, who led Haiti's fight for independence from French colonial rule ""My name has become a horror to all those who want slavery,"" declared Jean‑Jacques Dessalines as he announced the independence of Haiti, the most radical nation‑state during the Age of Revolution and the first country ever to permanently outlaw slavery. Enslaved for the first thirty years of his life, Dessalines (c. 1758–1806) joined the revolution that abolished slavery within the French colony. Then he became a general in the colonial army of the new French Republic. When it was discovered that France once again supported slavery, Dessalines declared war on his former allies. Fighting under the slogan ""Liberty or Death,"" his army forced the French to evacuate in late 1803. At the start of the new year, Dessalines declared independence from France and became the leader of a free Haiti. A hero to Haitians for centuries, Dessalines is portrayed abroad as barbarous and violent. Yet this caricature derives not from facts—as Julia Gaffield demonstrates with extensive new research—but from the fears of contemporary enslavers. Showcasing the man behind the myths, Gaffield reveals Dessalines's deep suffering, warm friendships, and unwavering commitment to destroying slavery, racism, and colonialism, and his bold insistence on his people's right to liberty and equality.

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9780300255478

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Reviews

“At last, a biography of Jean‑Jacques Dessalines, the Haitian par excellence, the only hero of Independence to enter the Vodou pantheon! Julia Gaffield reconstructs the life of the father of the country with exhaustive research and easy‑to‑read prose that avoids value judgments while reflecting a sympathy for her subject that courses through the book.”—Jean Casimir, Université d’État d’Haïti “A distinguished scholar known for her precise archival research, Julia Gaffield has succeeded in the vital mission of writing a faithful account of Haitian founder Jean‑Jacques Dessalines’s life. A book for all true lovers of history, I Have Avenged America offers groundbreaking insights into the world that Dessalines made, underscoring his immense contributions to the Haitian Revolution.”—Marlene L. Daut, author of The First and Last King of Haiti: The Rise and Fall of Henry Christophe “Charting Dessalines’s remarkable journey from enslavement to leadership of a revolutionary army and radical anticolonial nation‑state, Gaffield probes his character and contradictions more carefully than any scholar before her, offering brilliant insights into the political history of warfare, statecraft, and the struggle for human freedom.”—Vincent Brown, author of Tacky’s Revolt: The Story of an Atlantic Slave War “Julia Gaffield’s long‑awaited biography of Jean‑Jacques Dessalines paints a compelling portrait of one of Haiti’s most enigmatic leaders, a formerly enslaved man who became the nation’s first head of state. Based on prodigious new research, this fascinating book is also propulsively readable. A stunning achievement.”—Ada Ferrer, Princeton University “Beautifully and brilliantly told, this story of revolution, power, and political imagination challenges long-standing misrepresentations and powerfully illuminates the intertwined thought and action through which Dessalines reshaped the world.”—Laurent Dubois, author of Avengers of the New World: The Story of the Haitian Revolution

“To better understand Haiti’s current plight . . . the tale of Jean-Jacques Dessalines is enlightening. . . . Gaffield paints a revisionist portrait of Dessalines as a brave freedom-fighter. Had it not been for Dessalines, slavery would probably have been reimposed in Haiti, Ms. Gaffield argues, setting back the global abolitionist movement.”—David C. Adams, Economist Newsletter on Latin America “At last, a biography of Jean‑Jacques Dessalines, the Haitian par excellence, the only hero of Independence to enter the Vodou pantheon! Julia Gaffield reconstructs the life of the father of the country with exhaustive research and easy‑to‑read prose that avoids value judgments while reflecting a sympathy for her subject that courses through the book.”—Jean Casimir, Université d’État d’Haïti “A distinguished scholar known for her precise archival research, Julia Gaffield has succeeded in the vital mission of writing a faithful account of Haitian founder Jean‑Jacques Dessalines’s life. A book for all true lovers of history, I Have Avenged America offers groundbreaking insights into the world that Dessalines made, underscoring his immense contributions to the Haitian Revolution.”—Marlene L. Daut, author of The First and Last King of Haiti: The Rise and Fall of Henry Christophe “Charting Dessalines’s remarkable journey from enslavement to leadership of a revolutionary army and radical anticolonial nation‑state, Gaffield probes his character and contradictions more carefully than any scholar before her, offering brilliant insights into the political history of warfare, statecraft, and the struggle for human freedom.”—Vincent Brown, author of Tacky’s Revolt: The Story of an Atlantic Slave War “Julia Gaffield’s long‑awaited biography of Jean‑Jacques Dessalines paints a compelling portrait of one of Haiti’s most enigmatic leaders, a formerly enslaved man who became the nation’s first head of state. Based on prodigious new research, this fascinating book is also propulsively readable. A stunning achievement.”—Ada Ferrer, Princeton University “Beautifully and brilliantly told, this story of revolution, power, and political imagination challenges long-standing misrepresentations and powerfully illuminates the intertwined thought and action through which Dessalines reshaped the world.”—Laurent Dubois, author of Avengers of the New World: The Story of the Haitian Revolution

“At last, a biography of Jean‑Jacques Dessalines, the Haitian par excellence, the only hero of Independence to enter the Vodou pantheon! Julia Gaffield reconstructs the life of the father of the country with exhaustive research and easy‑to‑read prose that avoids value judgments while reflecting a sympathy for her subject that courses through the book.”—Jean Casimir, Université d’État d’Haïti “A distinguished scholar known for her precise archival research, Julia Gaffield has succeeded in the vital mission of writing a faithful account of Haitian founder Jean‑Jacques Dessalines’s life. A book for all true lovers of history, I Have Avenged America offers groundbreaking insights into the world that Dessalines made, underscoring his immense contributions to the Haitian Revolution.”—Marlene L. Daut, author of The First and Last King of Haiti: The Rise and Fall of Henry Christophe “Charting Dessalines’s remarkable journey from enslavement to leadership of a revolutionary army and radical anticolonial nation‑state, Gaffield probes his character and contradictions more carefully than any scholar before her, offering brilliant insights into the political history of warfare, statecraft, and the struggle for human freedom.”—Vincent Brown, author of Tacky’s Revolt: The Story of an Atlantic Slave War “Julia Gaffield’s long‑awaited biography of Jean‑Jacques Dessalines paints a compelling portrait of one of Haiti’s most enigmatic leaders, a formerly enslaved man who became the nation’s first head of state. Based on prodigious new research, this fascinating book is also propulsively readable. A stunning achievement.”—Ada Ferrer, Princeton University “Beautifully and brilliantly told, this story of revolution, power, and political imagination challenges long-standing misrepresentations and powerfully illuminates the intertwined thought and action through which Dessalines reshaped the world.”—Laurent Dubois, author of Avengers of the New World: The Story of the Haitian Revolution

Author Information

Julia Gaffield is associate professor of history at William & Mary. She is the author of Haitian Connections in the Atlantic World: Recognition after Revolution. She lives in Williamsburg, VA.

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