Louverture highlights the bitter irony that his "crime" was the ultimate act of liberation for his people. He frames his actions as righteous, casting judgment on his captors.
Quote by Toussaint Louverture: “My only crime is to have given liberty to my brothers.”
My only crime is to have given liberty to my brothers.
Insight
Historical Context
Said after his capture and imprisonment by the French, this quote underscores the hypocrisy of imperial powers who viewed the pursuit of freedom by enslaved people as an act of rebellion rather than a human right.
About the Author
Haitian revolutionary leader and the most prominent figure of the Haitian Revolution, the only successful slave revolt in history. Born into slavery, he rose to lead the liberation of Saint-Domingue, which became the Republic of Haiti in 1804.
View all quotes by Toussaint Louverture