“Vertières is Human History”

Do you know what happened on 18 November 1803? It was the historic battle of Vertières between the African army and the French imperial army and the watershed historical moment that transformed global history, especially the history of antislavery and anticolonization, and the triumph of human emancipation and human rights in the Western World, respectively.

This memorable event occurred in Haiti, where the Africans and people of African descent righteouslesly declared their humanity and dignity, justifiably abolished the institution of slavery, and ultimately destroyed the forces of white supremacy and the power of white dominion and moral darkness.

Let’s not forget this memorable saying from Papa Desalin “Pito nou lib oubyen nou mouri;” the persuasive words of Kapwa Lanmò, “Ann avan, ann avan, boulèt se pousyè;” and the convictional belief of Toussaint Louverture “Rasin libète nwa a fon ampil.”

The Vertières of Haiti is the herculean symbol of the freedom, dignity, humanity, and the equality and determination of Black people in global history and modernity. Correspondingly, the Vertières of November 18, 1803 is human history, that is, the history of all people because it declares boldly and reminds us always that “Tout moun se moun.”

“It is not enough to have expelled the barbarians who have bloodied our land for two centuries; … We must, with one last act of national authority, forever assure the empire of liberty in the country of our birth; we must take any hope of re-enslaving us away from the inhuman government …. In the end we must live independent or die.”

–Jean-Jacques Dessalines

Vertières is human history, the narrative of all people.

---

Vertieres: 18 November 1803-18 November 2019
Haitians Celebrating Freedom and Independence

“In Praise of Vertieres, and In Praise of Freedom and the Haitian Revolution”

O Vertieres, how could we forget Thee!

You remind us that God created men and women to be free and not to be enchained and enslaved by men.

O Glorious Vertieres, where we wrought our freedom and independence through our shed blood, You will always be a scar on our hearts and the path of freedom and inspiration for today’s troubles.

Today, the Haitian people are celebrating the Battle of Vertieres (November 18, 1803) which gave birth to two significant events in world history: the end of slavery and the founding of the first postcolonial state and the first slave-free Republic of Haiti in the Western world. It was in Vertieres African revolutionarries and men and women who dared to die free and independent conquered the greatest military and imperial power in the world: France

To remember Vertieres is to never forget the danger and threat of the unholy trinity of institutional slavery, colonization, and White supremacy in the world.

To remember Vertieres also means to continue the fight against the vestiges of slavery (modern day slavery), colonization (neocolonization), imperialism, and any form of human oppression that engenders human suffering, dehumanizes people, defers human dignity, and challenges the image of God in humanity.