A new book highlights forgotten resistance to slavery through stories of rebellious individuals like Solitude and Roseline, challenging traditional narratives.
Focus on forgotten figures of abolition
Historian Sudhir Hazareesingh's book Oser être libre highlights the often-overlooked individuals who resisted slavery long before famous abolitionists like Victor Schœlcher, William Wilberforce, or Abraham Lincoln.Global scope of slavery
For four centuries, millions of people across Africa, the Americas, the Caribbean, and the Indian Ocean islands were victims of the slave trade. Yet many resisted their enslavement through various means.Forms of resistance
Enslaved people resisted in many ways, including revolts, escapes, sabotage, secret networks, and the preservation of their African religious and cultural traditions. These acts of defiance were widespread and persistent.Stories of resistance
The book features the story of Solitude, a Guadeloupean woman who fought against French troops sent by Napoleon to reinstate slavery in 1802. She was pregnant at the time of her arrest and would have been executed shortly after giving birth.Another tale of defiance
Roseline, from Mauritius, escaped from prison with her newborn only three days after giving birth. These are just two of many stories illustrating the courage of enslaved people in their fight for freedom.Haitian revolution highlighted
A significant part of the book is dedicated to the Haitian revolution, which led to the country's independence in 1804. This uprising was a major turning point in the history of slavery.Autonomy in the fight for freedom
While acknowledging the role of European and American abolitionists, Hazareesingh emphasizes that enslaved people were already actively seeking their own emancipation long before external intervention.
