Dutty Boukman Research Paper

Dutty Boukman was a living, breathing man who would one day become the stuff of legends. He was a man who faced many hardships in life and overcame them all through intelligence, eloquence and perseverance. He was a leader, a libertarian, and sheer mountain of a man who would spark a revolution on a single night and with a single epic prayer. Although he would not live to see his dream of liberty, freedom and independence for the colored citizens of Saint Domingue come to fruition, he would be known throughout history as one of the men to whom a free Haiti owed its existence.

The date of Dutty Boukman's birth is unknown. However, it is known that he was born in Jamaica and was sold into slavery at a young age to a British slave owner. …show more content…
This punishment, although harsh to modern eyes, was an act of mercy as the punishments for disobedience of a slave in those days could range from being staked to anthills or sealed into a barrel full of spikes and rolled down the mountainside to being boiled in cane syrup or being tied to stakes and eaten alive by their masters dogs, which would be starved for days beforehand specifically for this purpose. In addition to his lashings, Boukman was sold to a French Plantation owner who put him to work as a slave driver and later as a coach driver. The position of slave driver or commandeur is one to which Boukman was particularly suited. He is described as having been huge and imposing, magnetically influential with definitive leadership skills, a volcanic temper and “as courageous as he was fearsome.” He was truly a figure not to be trifled with and therefore perfect for the position of commandeur. The french gave him the name Dutty Boukman, from his English nick name of Book Man which he was called because he was always seen carrying a book with him. Some scholars contend that this book could have been either a copy of the Qur’an (those scholars state Boukman was a Muslim) or a copy