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Graham Nessler A Failed Emancipation? The Struggle for Freedom in Hispaniola during the Haitian Revolution, 1789-1809 by Graham Townsend Nessler A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (History) in The University of Michigan 2011 Doctoral Committee: Associate Professor Richard L. Turits, Chair Professor Marlyse Baptista Professor Jean M. Hébrard Professor Rebecca J. Scott Professor Laurent M. Dubois, Duke University © Graham Townsend Nessler, 2011 To my mother and father ii Acknowledgements Almost every winter when I was growing up, our family would travel by car from our home in Bryan/College Station, Texas, to Clemson and Greenville, South Carolina, a journey of approximately one thousand miles. These treks to see extended family for Christmas gave me an appreciation for long journeys, which becomes even stronger when one reaches the finish line. My path to the doctorate in History has likewise entailed long journeys in both geographical and other senses. Though a complete acknowledgement of those who have supported and encouraged me in the five countries where I have studied, taught, researched, written, and presented over the past six years would be almost as long as the work that follows, I offer here a more condensed version that tries to include those who have been especially instrumental in ensuring the success of this project and my graduate studies as a whole. I regret any omissions. Any such list must begin with the five scholars who have overseen this project: Richard Turits, Rebecca Scott, Jean Hébrard, Marlyse Baptista, and Laurent Dubois (Professor of History and Romance Studies at Duke University). Their insights, wisdom, and constant support have shaped this project and enabled its successful completion. In particular, Richard Turits has been a truly superb advisor and mentor. From writing me innumerable letters of recommendation to offering invaluable comments on earlier drafts of this thesis to giving me extremely helpful practical advice on a number of occasions, Richard Turits has been the best mentor that I could have asked for. Furthermore, iii Rebecca Scott‟s mentoring and intellectual support during my graduate study have profoundly influenced the form of this dissertation and my formation as a scholar. Her encouragements to immerse myself in primary sources at the earliest possible moment led to my preliminary research trip to Simancas, Spain, in summer 2006 that in many ways defined the basic contours of this thesis. Moreover, my participation in her outstanding graduate seminar “Getting the Documents to Speak” during my first year at Michigan was a formative intellectual experience that I will always treasure as critical to my development as a scholar. When I reflect upon why I entered graduate school and my core goals and reasons for pursuing a life of scholarship, this class is a constant point of reference. Rebecca Scott‟s passion for scholarship and commitment to the highest standards of excellence have continually pushed me to take my research and writing to the next level. I also wish to thank Paul Johnson, whose encouragement to cultivate and pursue my intellectual interests at an early stage of my graduate studies was crucial in the process of beginning to define myself as a scholar. I am also grateful to Paulina Alberto for her support of my development as a teacher and for teaching me a great deal about modern Latin American history. Sueann Caulfield has likewise provided me with numerous forms of support and encouragement. From early in my graduate career, Martha Jones has helped me with the conceptualization of my project and provided me with new and valuable perspectives on it. Another important presence in my graduate education was Janet Hart, whose course on oral history helped to expand my understanding of not only historical methodology but also of what constitutes “history.” I also fondly remember our exchanges in Paris during my year of overseas research; her iv advice and support helped me to navigate both the intellectual and practical challenges of conducting research abroad. I also thank John Garrigus for his vital assistance in Paris and Aix-en-Provence. In 2007, he pointed me to a collection that has proven extremely useful for my project, and he has since been a very valuable collaborator on a number of subjects. Ada Ferrer has also helped me to locate and utilize important sources and to refine the framing of my project. Last but certainly not least, Malick Ghachem of the University of Maine Law School took an immediate interest in my project at our first meeting in Ann Arbor in September 2010, and his comments were indispensable in enabling the acceptance of my first article in a prestigious international journal. Professors and graduate students often remark that collaboration with one‟s fellow students, both inside the classroom and in other settings, is as important as any other aspect of graduate education. My own experience supports this observation. For all of my time in graduate school, Lindsey Gish at Michigan State University has been both the best colleague and intellectual collaborator that one could ask for and a good friend. We have helped each other along as our projects have evolved, and I have profound respect and admiration for what she has accomplished. Sam Erman, whom I have known since working with him in the “Getting the Documents to Speak” seminar, has been a positive presence in my career during these years due to his deep intelligence and his warm personality. Anne Eller at NYU has also been an important colleague since my first year, and I look forward to future collaborations with her. In addition, during my first years in my doctoral program, Jennifer Palmer and Minayo Nasiali gave me important advice and moral support for which I am very grateful. I am also fortunate to have been able to work with Lenny Ureña and Marvin Chochotte in organizing a conference on Haitian history v and politics that took place here in Ann Arbor in May 2010. Seeing this conference come to fruition was one of the proudest moments of my graduate career, and the vision, practical skills, and professional commitments of Lenny and Marvin were instrumental in making this conference a success. In a few lines, I cannot do justice to the impact on my personal and professional development of my dearest friends in graduate school, Kenneth Garner, Dagmar Francikova, Sidy Touré, and Amy Firestone. From our first days together in History 615, Ken has been a truly remarkable friend, providing me with unwavering moral and emotional support that has helped me face a wide variety of challenges. At the risk of indulging in clichés, my friendship with Ken has transformed my perspective, both as a scholar and as a person. The same can be said for my friendship with Dagmar. Many of my most cherished memories of my graduate school years involve intense yet warm- hearted conversations over her wonderful cooking. From her I have learned many lessons about appreciating life and what it has to offer. Furthermore, during a difficult period for me in Aix-en-Provence, France, I found a kindred spirit in Sidy Touré, a Malian student who like me was conducting research in Aix on a grant from the French government. His warmth, intelligence, and ability to forgive my less-than-impeccable French immensely enhanced my experience in Aix. Our shared intellectual interests in the Atlantic slave trades added significantly to my project‟s development, while on a personal level I will always remember the brief time that we spent together, and I hope to see him again someday. Finally, I am thankful for my close friendship with Amy Firestone, who has also traveled a long road of graduate study following our days as undergraduates at the College of William and Mary. vi The financial and logistical support of numerous agencies and organizations was crucial in enabling me to develop my skills as a scholar and to carry out my research both abroad and in the United States. Study of Haitian Creole at Florida International University in July 2006, which has benefitted my project in ways I had not foreseen at the time, was funded by a Foreign Language and Area Studies fellowship. Funding from the Department of History at the University of Michigan supported my first three years of graduate study, and the Department‟s generous summer research allotment made possible my month of preliminary archival research in Simancas. In particular, the administrative staff of the History Department (especially Kathleen King and Lorna Altstetter) were absolutely critical to the success of all aspects of my graduate studies. The staff at the Latin America library at the University of Florida (especially Head Librarian Richard Phillips) also went far beyond the call of duty during my week and a half of research there for my first seminar paper. Despite the fact that I had shown up without making prior arrangements, these individuals not only gave me tremendously useful help in making the most of their library‟s amazing collections but also set me up with my own private study desk for the duration of my stay there. The staff of the Spanish and French archives mentioned in the Bibliography were also very helpful, both in terms of taking advantage of these archives‟ seemingly innumerable collections and in solving the logistical problems that inevitably arose. My preliminary research trip to France in 2007 was made possible by a Rackham Graduate Student Research Grant and an International Institute Individual Fellowship (both through the University of Michigan). My year of overseas dissertation research was enabled with the generous funding of the French government‟s Chateaubriand Fellowship vii and the Social Science Research Council‟s International Dissertation Research Fellowship.
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