Silent No More: Women in the Haitian Revolution

In 1791, the eruption of the Haitian Revolution shook the world. It was the only revolt of enslaved people to abolish slavery and create a free and independent Black nation in the Americas. Enslaved women represented nearly half of colonial Haiti’s plantation populations and performed much of the same physical labor as their male counterparts. However, few women are identified in archival records as having taken part in the revolutionary struggle. This presentation draws on African and African diaspora perspectives to shed light on the ways that enslaved women may have contributed to the revolution for freedom and liberation.

To register for this virtual event, press the Tickets button and make a donation of any amount to Old North Illuminated, the nonprofit that preserves and interprets Old North Church & Historic Site. Your generosity supports our education programs. A Zoom link will be sent to you before the event.

Crystal Nicole Eddins is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Pittsburgh. Her research has been supported by the Ruth J. Simmons Postdoctoral Fellowship, the John Carter Brown Library, and the National Science Foundation. She is the author of Rituals, Runaways, and the Haitian Revolution: Collective Action in the African Diaspora.

Old North Illuminated's 2024 Speaker Series events are brought to you in part by Hub Town Tours.