#1714

Mentioned in 15 episodes

The Black Jacobins

Toussaint L'Ouverture and the San Domingo Revolution

Book • 1935

Written by C.L. R.

James in 1938, 'The Black Jacobins' is a pioneering historical work that recounts the Haitian Revolution of 1791–1804.

The book places the revolution in the context of the French Revolution and highlights the leadership of Toussaint L'Ouverture, who rose from being a slave to a prominent figure espousing the French Revolutionary ideals of liberty and equality.

James's work challenges conventional historiography by emphasizing the agency of the enslaved and their role in shaping their own history.

It also explores the broader implications of the Haitian Revolution, linking it to the destruction of European feudalism and the global struggle against colonialism and slavery.

Mentioned by

William Dalrymple

Charles Forsdick

Alexander Aviña

Dan-el Padilla Peralta

Mentioned in 15 episodes

Recommended by

Ben Horowitz

as a book about the Haitian Revolution, highlighting Toussaint Louverture's management and cultural genius.

#392: Ben Horowitz — What You Do Is Who You Are >> Lessons from Silicon Valley, Andy Grove, Genghis Khan, Slave Revolutions, and More

Mentioned by

Todd McGowan

as a source detailing the Haitian Revolution.

Todd McGowan, "Universality and Identity Politics" (Columbia UP, 2020)

Mentioned by

Marlene Daut

as a source of inspiration for her storytelling.

Episode 59: Marlene Daut Returns to Storytelling

Mentioned by

Charles Forsdick

as one of the finest English language accounts of the Haitian Revolution.

S5E12: Toussaint Louverture and the Strategy of Dynamic Adaptation with Professor Charles Forsdick

Mentioned by

Breht

and

Alexander Aviña

as a classic historical account of the Haitian Revolution.

[BEST OF] The Haitian Revolution

Mentioned by

William Dalrymple

as one of two books they are drawing on for the episode, focusing on Toussaint Louverture and the San Domingo Revolution.

64. The Black Spartacus

Mentioned by

Gene Bruskin

when discussing the history of anti-immigrant sentiment in the US labor movement.

Episode 22: Gene Bruskin Part 1: Immigrant Workers Fight and Win

Mentioned by

Anita Anand

as having written a marvelous book about Toussaint L'Ouverture.

65. When the Enslaved Took on Napoleon

Mentioned by Will as a classic text on Toussaint Louverture and the Haitian Revolution, highlighting repetition in revolutionary history.

104 | Does History Have a Repetition Compulsion?

Mentioned by

Fabiola Cineas

while discussing the history of abolition and the Haitian Revolution.

Best of: Imagine a future with no police

Mentioned by

Ben Horowitz

as his all-time favorite book.

20VC: a16z's Ben Horowitz on How To Create An Environment of Trust with Founders, How and Why Creating Shocking Rules Is So Impactful To Culture & What The Samurai, Shaka Senghor and Toussaint Teach Us About Company Culture Building

Mentioned by

Andrew Hartman

as an influential thinker who connected with the social movements of the 1960s and re-engaged with Marxism.

Christopher Phelps and Robin Vandome, "Marxism and America: New Appraisals" (Manchester UP, 2021)

Mentioned by

Chris Hedges

as the book James wrote, linking James' thoughts on Milton.

How Paradise Lost Revolutionized the World (w/ Orlando Reade) | The Chris Hedges Report

Mentioned by

Gerald Horne

in relation to the Haitian Revolution.

[BEST OF] W.E.B. Du Bois: Black Reconstruction in America

Mentioned by

Fabiola Cineas

as a book she is currently reading, providing historical context to the discussion.

Imagine a future with no police

Mentioned by

Caleb Zakarin

, as referenced in

Dan-el Padilla Peralta

's book, when discussing blackness and classicism.

Dan-el Padilla Peralta, "Classicism and Other Phobias" (Princeton UP, 2025)

Mentioned by

Todd McGowan

as a source for his example of the Haitian Revolution.

Todd McGowan, "Universality and Identity Politics" (Columbia UP, 2020)

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