The Black Jacobins

The Black Jacobins, written by C.L.R. James, is a detailed history of the Haitian Revolution (1791-1804). It focuses on the enslaved Africans in Saint-Domingue (modern-day Haiti) who fought for their freedom against oppressive French colonizers. The book highlights the leadership of Toussaint Louverture and the complex political and social struggles that led to the first successful slave-led revolt resulting in the first black republic. It explores themes of resistance, strategy, and the fight for human rights, emphasizing how enslaved people's courage transformed history and challenged colonial and racial systems.