Frederick Douglass’s lecture on Haiti at the Chicago World’s Fair, 1893 (excerpts)

It was once said by the great Daniel O’Connell, that the history of Ireland might be traced, like a wounded man through a crowd, by the blood. The same may be said of the history of Haiti as a free state. Her liberty was born in blood, cradled in misfortune and has lived more or less in a storm of revolutionary turbulence. It is important to know how she behaved in these storms. 

As I view it, there is one great fundamental and soul-cheering fact concerning her. It is this: Despite all the trying vicissitudes of her history, despite all the machinations of her enemies at home, despite all temptations from abroad, despite all her many destructive revolutions, she has remained true to herself, true to her autonomy, and remains a free and independent state. No power on this broad earth has yet induced or seduced her to seek a foreign protector, or has compelled her to bow her proud neck to foreign government. 

We talk of assuming a protectorate over Haiti. We had better not attempt it. The success of such an enterprise is repelled by her history. She would rather abandon her ports and harbors, retire to her mountain fastnesses, or burn her towns and she’d get warm, tropical blood over their ashes than submit to the degradation of any foreign yoke, however, friendly. In whatever may be the source of her shame and misfortune, she has one source of complacency, she lived proudly in the glory of her blood bought independence, and no hostile foreign foot has been allowed to tread her sacred soul in peace from the hour of her independence until now. Her future autonomy is at least secure. Whether civilized or savage, whatever the future may have in store for her, Haiti is the black man’s country, now forever [Applause]

In just vindication of Haiti, I can go one step further. I can speak of her, not only words of admiration, but words or gratitude as well. She has grandly served the cause of universal human liberty. We should not forget that the freedom you and I enjoy-to-day, that the freedom that eight hundred thousand colored people in the British West Indies; the freedom that has come to the colored race the world over, is largely due to the brave stand taken by the black sons of Haiti ninety years ago. When they struck for freedom, they builded better than they knew. Their swords were not drawn simply for themselves alone. They linked and interlinked with their race and striking for their freedom, they struck for the freedom of every black man in the world. [Prolonged Applause]

It is said of the ancient nations that each had a special mission in the world and that each taught the world some important lesson. The Jews taught the world a religion. A sublime conception of the Deity. The Greeks taught the world philosophy and beauty. The Romans taught the world jurisprudence. England is foremost among the modern nations in commerce and manufacturing. Germany had taught the world to think, while the American Republic is giving the world an example of a Government by the people, of the people and for the people. Among these large bodies, the little community of Haiti, anchored in the Caribbean Sea, has had her mission which the world had much need to learn. She has taught the world the danger of slavery and the value of liberty. In this respect, she has been the greatest of our modern teachers.

Speaking for the Negro, I can say we owe much to Walker for his appeal; to John Brown [applause] for the blow struck at Harper’s Ferry, to Lundy and Garrison for their advocacy [ applause]. We owe much to Thomas Clarkson [applause], to William Wilberforce, to Thomas Foxwell Buxton, and to the anti-slavery societies at home and abroad; but we owe incomparably more to Haiti then them all [Prolonged applause]. 

It was her one brave example that first all startled the Christian world into a sense of the Negro’s manhood. It was she who first awoke the Christian world to a sense of the goading too far the energy that slumbers in a black man’s arms.” [Applause] Until Haiti struck for freedom, the conscience of the Christian world slept profoundly over slavery. It was scarcely troubled even by a dream of this crime against justice and liberty. The Negro was in his estimation, a sheep like creature, having no rights which white men were bound to respect, a docile animal, a kind of ass, capable of bearing burdens. and receiving stripes from a white master without resentment, and without resistance. The mission of Haiti was to dispel the degradation and dangerous delusion, and to give to the world a new and true revelation of the black man’s character. The mission she has performed and performed it well. [Applause]

Until she spoke no Christian nation had abolished negro slavery. Until she spoke no Christian nation had given to the world an organized effort to abolish slavery. Until she spoke, the slave ship, followed by hungry sharks, greedy to devour the dead and dying slaves flung overboard to feed them, ploughed in peace the South Atlantic, painting the sea with the Negro’s blood. Until she spoke, the slave trade was sanctioned by all the Christian nations of the world, our land of liberty and light included. Men made fortunes by this infernal traffic and were esteemed as good Christians and the standing types of representations of the Saviour of the world. Until Haiti spoke, the church was silent, and the pulpit was dumb. Slave holders lived and slave holders died. Funeral sermons were preached and of them it was said that they died in the triumphs of the Christian faith and went to heaven among the just.

To have any just conception or measurement of intelligence, solidarity, and manly courage of the people or Haiti when under the lead of Toussaint L’ Ouverture. [ prolonged applause] and the dauntless Dessalines, you must remember what the conditions were by which they were surrounded; that all the neighboring islands were slaveholding and that no one of all these islands could she look for sympathy, support and cooperation. She trod the wine press alone. Her hand was against the Christian world and the Christian world was against her. Hers was a forlorn hope, and she knew that she must do or die.

In Greek and Roman history nobler daring cannot be found. It would be a matter of astonishment to thoughtful men, that a people in abject slavery, subject to the lash, and kept in ignorance of letters, as these slaves were, should have known enough, or have had left in them enough manhood, to combine, to organize and select for themselves trusted leaders and with loyal hearts to follow them into the jaws of death to obtain liberty.

In forecasting the future of this people, then, I insist some importance shall be given to this and to another grand initial fact that the freedom of Haiti was not given as a boon, but conquered as a right ! [Applause] Her people fought for it. They suffered for it, and thousands of them endured the most horrible tortures and perished for it. It is well said that a people to freedom is given can never wear it as grandly as can those who have fought and suffered to gain it. Here, as elsewhere, what comes easily, is liable to go easily. But what man will fight to gain that, man will fight to maintain. To this test Haiti was early subjected and she stood the test like pure gold [Applause]