Citizen Toussaint

The Chicago Defender and Station WMAQ bring you Destination Freedom, a radio series dramatizing the great democratic traditions of the Negro people, interwoven in the pageant of history, and a part of America's own Destination Freedom.

Today Destination Freedom tells the story of Toussaint Louverture, the liberator of Santo Domingo, in a chapter entitled Citizen Toussaint. The year was 1801. Napoleon Bonaparte had come home from his countering campaign. The little general had come home to check his colonies to rest his troops to prepare to conquer the West.

And when they brought him a strange constitution, find by an unknown man to Sandluvath Tier, the general called in his ministers and officers. The ministers trembled. The general spoke. Who is this to send? You said, you were to speak up.

The Minister, the Governor, because he sat quiet and waited for the rage to roll over. The wrong one, hearing is there? Napoleon spoke. Who is to say? Sayah, as I said, he is the Governor of Santa Domingo.

Well, you appointed Governor? Yes, yes, but that was before we lost control of the colony. I've explained it, sayah. Explained it? While I cover France with glory, expand the empire in Europe and Africa. fools lose control of the richest colony in the world. The key to the West. Your Minister of Marine's Anton, how did you allow this to happen?

Sire, we sent truth to the colony to stop this man. This man? This slave Sire. But this desire is no ordinary slave Sire to send. To send? Is that all you can say? We're among you as responsible for allowing him the least among Frenchman to send me a constitution from the colony of Sanadimingo and tell me not us me to sign it