C. L. R James The Black Jacobins

1862 Words8 Pages
C.L.R James and Fernando Ortiz are innovators in their fields of the Caribbean history. James and Ortiz have different methods of describing their story. Ortiz uses a more charismatic and fun approach of conveying his argument, while James is able to get his point across more openly and clear than Ortiz. C.L.R. James’ The Black Jacobins: Toussaint L’Ouverture and the Santo Domingo Rebellion was written in 1938 during the time of the cultural and artistic explosion of black writers, artist, poets, musicians etc. that took place in Harlem, the Harlem Renaissance. James’ The Black Jacobins was published during this time of booming African American culture. In his book C.L.R James depicts the Haitian Revolution in a way in which it had never been…show more content…
That they were not savages that needed a master to control every aspect of their lives because they couldn’t do so themselves, because they infarct could do it themselves, that is why the Haitian Revolution is the only successful slave revolt in history. James depicts Dessalines massacred like this, “Neither Dessalines’ army nor his ferocity won the victory. It was the people” (James). It was the people in Haiti that won the war and that one act of cruel violence by Dessalines shouldn’t be depicted in a way that all Haitians were barbarians and needed their masters. That the slaves did not see their masters as “parent figures” who took care of them because they could not do so themselves, and that the leaders of the Haitian revolution should be look and thought of as great historic figures like George Washington, and John Locke for example. That Toussaint was not just a great general for a black man he was a great general period. James depicts Toussaint as the great hero to Haitian revolution that he is, Toussaint is not just great for a black man Toussaint was a hero to his people who fought for their
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