Jean-Jacques Dessalines
Early Life
Jean-Jacques Dessalines was born in West Africa (2), most likely Senegal (3), in 1758; some historians, however believe he was born in Saint Domingue (1). He was transported to Saint-Domingue as a slave and was given the name Jean-Jacques Duclos , the name of his first owner.
For the next 30 years, he was as an illiterate field hand who worked his way up to being foreman until he was sold at age 30 to a cruel free black man named Dessalines, therefore causing Jean-Jacques’s name to also change; the new owner was known for being brutal and cruel, traits he passed on to Dessalines .
Revolution
Représentation épique de Jean-Jacques Dessalines lors de la Révolution haïtienne de 1804 by unknown. Used under public domain.
During a 1791 rebellion, he escaped his plantation and joined Toussaint L’Ouverture, eventually becoming a lieutenant and earning the nickname “the Tiger” for his ferocity in battle (1); his motto was “koupe tet, boule kay” or “cut off the head, burn down the house”. He married Marie-Claire Heureuse Felicite and had 7 children with her, including twins; he had 6 children with other women (3).
By 1791, Dessalines was a brigadier general and was L’Ouverture’s second-in-command by 1801. However, he became disenfranchised with L’Ouverture and realigned with the French, which made it easier for L’Ouverture to be arrested. Shortly after, he realized what L’Ouverture knew, that the French were trying to reinstate slavery. He fought the French and expelled them, proclaiming independence in 1804.
Emperor Jacques I
He declared himself emperor, in 1805 (1; 2; 3), being crowned with his wife on October 8 at the Church Champs-de-Mars, taking the name Jacques I (3). Dessalines renamed the island the Arawak-derived Hayti (2) now spelled Haiti. He helped with the Haitian Constitution of 1805 (1), (3). As governor-general and subsequently emperor, Dessalines regulated foreign trade, increased commerce with the UK and US but not France, and put many highly-educated mulatto citizens in power, but also forced labor on plantations, confiscated land from white citizens, made it illegal for them to own property and ordered the deaths of 3,000-5,000 white citizens of all ages and gender between February and April of 1804 (1; 2; 3).
Death
Almost all citizens disliked Dessalines so during a revolt at Pont-Rouge near Port-au-Prince, on October 17, 1806, Petion and Christophe ambushed and assassinated Dessalines, taking power for themselves (1; 2; 3). However, Dessalines is still a figure of pride for the Haitian people, with his death day a national holiday and the national anthem called “La Dessalinienne” (3).
1. Biography.com Editors. “Jean-Jacques Dessalines Biography.” Biography.com, A&E Television Networks, 2 April 2014, https://www.biography.com/people/jean-jacques-dessalines-9273005 .
2.Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Jean-Jacques Dessalines.” Encyclopaedia Britannica, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., 13 Oct. 2018. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jean-Jacques-Dessalines
3. The Louverture Project. “Jean-Jacques Dessalines.” The Louverture Project, The Louverture Project, 1 Mar. 2012. https://thelouvertureproject.org/index.php?title=Jean-Jacques_Dessalines
By Aislinn Baltas