Episode 1 of 2
Proclamation of Independence
- When
- 1 January 1804
- Where
- Gonaïves
Dessalines declared independence in Gonaïves, establishing Haiti as a black state and assuming the role of governor-general.
On 1 January 1804, Jean-Jacques Dessalines proclaimed independence in Gonaïves, renaming the colony 'Haiti' or 'Ayiti'. He was chosen by a council of generals to assume the office of governor-general, marking the end of the thirteen-year revolution and establishing Haiti as the first modern independent Black republic.
Sources
- Haitian Declaration of Independence Wikipedia, revision of 2026-07-30
- Jean-Jacques Dessalines Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-30
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.