22948: Stephenson: Re: 22847: Garrigus: Recent researchon Toussaint (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: PatrickStephenson <patrickstephenson@videotron.ca>

  <<Stewart King makes
  an important (though still debatable, in my opinion)
  argument for the existence of a free black "military
  leadership class" in this part of the colony, at
  least, before the Revolution. He provides further
  details on Toussaint's pre-revolutionary life, though
  interestingly he doesn't classify Toussaint in this
  category.>>



  There is no doubt that there was a free black military leadership (black
and mulatto) composing the militia, "les chasseures de St+Domingue", the
"Dragons" corps etc...pre-revolutionary era.
  The confusion of Mr King for not including some famous black leaders in
his list may have arise because of prjudice and distinction between those
leaders "BORN FREE" and others  such as "Toussaint, Dessalines and
Christophe" BORN SLAVES" and LATER ACQUIRED THEIR FREEDOM.