The Struggle to End Early America in Unified Haiti

On February 9, 1822, Haiti's annexation of Santo Domingo marked the definitive end of racial chattel slavery on Hispaniola and the second immediate, general emancipation in the Americas. This 'Haitian unification' was driven by a decades-long struggle involving enslaved populations, free people of African descent, and Haitian revolutionary leaders, culminating in the abolition of colonialism, slavery, and institutionalized racial inequality. While the unification symbolized a new era of independence and antislavery, it also revealed paradoxical continuities, including reactionary movements and renewed colonial threats. The study examines how this complex historical process challenges narratives of clear junctures in American history.

Walker, A. J. (2024). The Struggle to End Early America in Unified Haiti. The William and Mary Quarterly, 81(1), 53–64. https://doi.org/10.1353/wmq.2024.a918188