The Black Jacobins

Toussaint L'Ouverture and the San Domingo Revolution

By: C.L.R. James

Narrated by: Ron Butler

A classic and impassioned account of the first revolution in the Third World.

This powerful, intensely dramatic book is the definitive account of the Haitian Revolution of 1794-1803, a revolution that began in the wake of the Bastille but became the model for the Third World liberation movements from Africa to Cuba. It is the story of the French colony of San Domingo, a place where the brutality of master toward slave was commonplace and ingeniously refined. And it is the story of a barely literate slave named Toussaint L'Ouverture, who led the black people of San Domingo in a successful struggle against successive invasions by overwhelming French, Spanish, and English forces and, in the process, helped form the first independent nation in the Caribbean.

©1963 Random House, Inc. (P)2019 Tantor

An outstanding work in every regard

Perhaps the greatest history book ever written, CLR James history of the Haitian revolution is both entertaining, informative, and extraordinarily powerful.

Great reading performance bi Ron Butler as well.

Heroically narrated, with appropriate bias

Not a sterile retelling of a military struggle between countries, but a rousing account mettle and a fight for the right to be human by the Haitians. Essentially reading for every West Indian, African, African-American. A roadmap to continued liberation.

Excellently Written; Sumpremely Read!

A great insight into the historical record and insight of those involved on all sides.

An amazing recount of history

This retelling of story was made vivid by the author’s words and the narrator’s control and oratory skills. So much history is provided in such detail, each character was made plain. I wish to learn so much more about each person in this time in history.

I will now search out other books by this author.

Black Jacobins

This book was excellent. I didn't realize that it dealt so specifically with the Haitian Revolution, but I learned so much as a consequence. This book really brings to life Toussaint L'Overture and Jean-Jacques Dessalines. At the end, I felt as if I was in the prison cell with Toussaint. It was such a horrible ending to a man who wanted Black liberation while still holding on to the dream that he could negotiate with France.