7208: Re: 7188: Oral history if Toussaint Louverture (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: robin boucard <robinboucard@hotmail.com>

I am no expert on Touissant but i think that one matter needs to be 
clarified regarding this crucial figure in Haitian and world history--and 
that is who he really was.  For instance, there is this tendancy to speak of 
Toussaint as an "illiterate" or man who never traveled outside the island. 
(thanks to distortions in our history books etc...) Many years ago, there 
was research carried out on Toussant and many important works were found on 
him in the NY Public library as well as in the African American library in 
NY.  I have seen pictures of Toussant that do not resemble the man that we 
have been seeing in the history books.  Moreover, there is documentation of 
Toussaint making important visits in Versailles, etc... One can even find 
documentation of Toussaint in Russian archives.  So all this to ask the 
question, "Who was Toussant really?"  I think we may find that we are 
dealing with an even more powerful and educated figure here.  Maybe we 
should start studying this matter more closely in order to do justice to his 
legacy as well as to Haiti's legacy.
Thank you for the air time.