Full Description
In 1934 C. L. R. James, the widely known Trinidadian intellectual, writer, and political activist, wrote the play Toussaint Louverture: The Story of the Only Successful Slave Revolt in History, which was presumed lost until the rediscovery of a draft copy in 2005. The play's production, performed in 1936 at London's Westminster Theatre with a cast including the American star Paul Robeson, marked the first time black professional actors starred on the British stage in a play written by a black playwright. This edition includes the program, photographs, and reviews from that production, a contextual introduction and editorial notes on the play by Christian HØgsbjerg, and selected essays and letters by James and others. In Toussaint Louverture, James demonstrates the full tragedy and heroism of Louverture by showing how the Haitian revolutionary leader is caught in a dramatic conflict arising from the contradiction between the barbaric realities of New World slavery and the modern ideals of the Enlightenment. In his portrayal of the Haitian Revolution, James aspired to vindicate black accomplishments in the face of racism and to support the struggle for self-government in his native Caribbean. Toussaint Louverture is an indispensable companion work to The Black Jacobins (1938), James's classic account of Haiti's revolutionary struggle for liberation.
Contents
Foreword / Laurent Dubois vii
Acknowledgments xi
Introduction / Christian Høgsbjerg 1
Editorial Note / Christian Høgsbjerg 41
Author's Note (1936) / C. L. R. James 45
Toussaint Louverture: The Story of the Only Successful Slave Revolt in History
The Complete Playscript (1934) 47
Act II, Scene I, of Toussaint Louverture (1936) 135
The Production and Performance of Toussaint Louverture
Notices 155
The Programme (1936) 160
Reviews 164
Appendix
"The Intelligence of the Negro" / C. L. R. James 189
"A Century of Freedom" / C. L. R. James 199
"Slavery Today: A Shocking Exposure" / C. L. R. James 206
"I Want Negro Culture" / Paul Robeson 212
"'Civilising' the 'Blacks': Why Britain Needs to Maintain Her African Possessions" / C. L. R. James 214
Letter from George Padmore to Dr. Alain Locke 217
["The Maverick Club"] / C. L. R. James 218
"A Unique Personality" / C. L. R. James 219
"Paul Robeson" / C. L. R. James 221
