Now sail into the Caribbean, where Columbus landed on Dec. 5, 1492. His discovery was a death knell for the Taino and Arawakan people who dwelled there and called their island Ayiti[1]. The name would survive as Haiti[2], but the people would not. This discovery also opened the “historical door” for the slave trade between Europe, Africa and the New World.

On Nov. 18, 1803, François Capois[3] helped to free Haiti from Napoleon’s Empire. The rebel earned the respect of French soldiers and officers, as well has the men he led into battle. They called him “Death” (Capois-La-Mort) as he feared it not one bit. He seemed to welcome it and to taunt it by his bravery—charging ever onward through the fire of war at the Battle of Vertieres[4]. “En avant” Death ordered, and his men followed.

Though the French soldiers shot his horse from under him, “En avant” Death ordered, and his men followed. Though a volley flew through his very hat and sent it flying off his head, “En avant” Death ordered, and his men followed. Though the enemy that enslaved his people fought from an invincible fortress and fired bullets down upon them, “En avant” Death screamed, still afoot, never slowing. And his men followed.

His raw display of guts impressed the French enemy so greatly that they ceased fire and applauded. And the brutal French general, the Viscount of Rochambeau, under truce, sent out a horse for Capois-La-Mort to mount. Folks fought wars differently back then, but they were still bloody wars. And the fighting resumed. “En avant” Death ordered, and his men followed.

And the mighty French Army of Napoleon Bonaparte was defeated, thanks in no small part to a man they called “Death”.

The story of the Haitian freedom fighters inspires me like no other. “The World’s Greatest Revolution” was a long one—1791-1803. But the endless saga of Haitian suffering lasts even to this day. This monumental blight inspires me in yet a different way. For it tells us all, across all seas and borders, that we must fight on to end state sponsored poverty[5]! We must come together as fellows and build a true democracy where honest freedom will thrive and all humans may prosper!

En avant! En avant! En avant!

Images: Battle of Vertieres, engraving by Jean-Jacques Frilley (1797-1850), found online (see footnote 4 below) and Haitian Bank note (50) showing Capois leading the charge, hatless and afoot

[1] People’s History of the United States, Howard Zinn; Harper Collins. See also: http://www.howardzinn.org/

[2] See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Haiti

[3] See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran%C3%A7ois_Capois

[4] See: http://thelouvertureproject.org/index.php?title=Fran%C3%A7ois_Capois

[5] See: An Unbroken Agony by Randall Robinson, Basis Civitas Books, Perseus Books Group, 2007