Colonialism and Revolution

Colonization

Inhabited by humans since at least 5,000 B.C.E., Haiti (Ayiti) was the earliest site of European imperialism and Indigenous resistance in the Americas. Soon after Columbus arrived in 1492, he set up a small outpost at La Navidad on the island’s northern coast. When Columbus returned, the Indigenous people had defeated all the settlers. However, the Spanish soon built a new settlement on the island’s southeastern coast, which they named Santo Domingo. The Spanish mining for gold brutally enslaved Indigenous Ayitians for that purpose. As Indigenous Ayitians died from brutal treatment and disease, the Spanish replaced them with enslaved Africans who began being transported to the island in 1501.

In 1625, French buccaneers on the nearby island of Tortuga seized the western part of Hispaniola. In 1697, the Spanish ceded the island’s western portion to the French. The French translated the Spanish name to Saint-Domingue, the current-day Republic of Haiti. Like the Spanish, the French relied on enslaved African labor to cultivate sugarcane and other cash crops. Saint-Domingue quickly became the most lucrative colony in the world. France’s profit came at a devastating human cost: between 25,000 and 40,000 enslaved Africans died each year from punishments, labor conditions, disease, and suicide.

Revolution

From 1791 to 1804, a series of successful slave rebellions, revolts, and revolutionary battles led to overthrowing French colonial rule in Saint-Domingue. In 1794, the Haitian Revolution brought slavery to an end in the colony and throughout the French Empire. However, in 1802, French military and political leader Napoleon Bonaparte reinstated slavery throughout France’s colonies, with the practice continuing until 1848. Even so, the 1794 emancipation decree was a significant step toward the elimination of slavery in the Americas. By 1804, the Haitian revolutionaries declared independence from France, and Haiti became the second independent country in the Americas (after the U.S.) and the first Black Republic in the world.

History through art

Haitian art is a powerful visual narrative portraying the nation’s history and revolutionary spirit.The artwork captures the intensity of the liberation struggle, showcasing scenes of battles, rebellions, and the courage of the Haitian people against colonial oppression and enslavement. Through their creations, Haitian artists pay homage to the sacrifices of their ancestors and emphasize the continued importance of freedom and sovereignty for Haiti.