Beaubrun Ardouin
Encyclopedia
Alexis Beaubrun Ardouin was a Haiti
an historian and politician. He is best remembered for his eleven-volume Etudes sur l'Histoire d'Haïti (Studies on the History of Haiti), published in 1865. His Etudes have served as a valuable resource for later historians. Beaubrun Ardouin also wrote the first Haitian textbook, Géographie de l'Ile d'Haïti (Geography of the Island of Haiti) and Instruction sur le Jury.
Ardouin's historical writing attempted to put the Haitian Revolution
in the context of other nationalist revolutions in the Americas and denied that it had any special racial or class implications. He was a man of mixed race himself, from a family that was free before the revolution, and he argued that the former free people of color
were the natural leaders both of the revolution and of post-independence Haiti. His great intellectual opponent was Thomas Madiou
, who sought to repair the reputation of the great black heroes of the Haitian revolution, especially Toussaint Louverture, and to portray the revolution as a successful slave uprising instead of as a national independence movement.
Beaubrun Ardouin was elected Senator in 1832 and served on the Council of Secretaries of State in 1845.
Growing up during the revolutionary period, Beaubrun Ardouin was not able to attend school regularly; he was self-taught. He had a strong interest in French
literature, especially the works of Voltaire
, Montesquieu
, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau
.
Ardouin's brothers, Céligny
and Coriolan
, were also well-known; Céligny as a politician and historian, Coriolan as a poet. The three Ardouin brothers, along with the Nau brothers, Emile
and Ignace
, were members of the literary society "The School of 1836," which was founded by Ignace Nau. Coriolan died young in 1836, while Céligny ran afoul of Faustin-Élie Soulouque
's government and was executed in 1849. Beaubrun published Céligny's Essais sur l'Histoire d'Haïti (English: Essays on the History of Haiti) in 1865, just before his own death.
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
an historian and politician. He is best remembered for his eleven-volume Etudes sur l'Histoire d'Haïti (Studies on the History of Haiti), published in 1865. His Etudes have served as a valuable resource for later historians. Beaubrun Ardouin also wrote the first Haitian textbook, Géographie de l'Ile d'Haïti (Geography of the Island of Haiti) and Instruction sur le Jury.
Ardouin's historical writing attempted to put the Haitian Revolution
Haitian Revolution
The Haitian Revolution was a period of conflict in the French colony of Saint-Domingue, which culminated in the elimination of slavery there and the founding of the Haitian republic...
in the context of other nationalist revolutions in the Americas and denied that it had any special racial or class implications. He was a man of mixed race himself, from a family that was free before the revolution, and he argued that the former free people of color
Free people of color
A free person of color in the context of the history of slavery in the Americas, is a person of full or partial African descent who was not enslaved...
were the natural leaders both of the revolution and of post-independence Haiti. His great intellectual opponent was Thomas Madiou
Thomas Madiou
Thomas Madiou was a Haitian historian. His work Histoire d'Haïti is considered one of the most valuable documents of Haitian literature...
, who sought to repair the reputation of the great black heroes of the Haitian revolution, especially Toussaint Louverture, and to portray the revolution as a successful slave uprising instead of as a national independence movement.
Beaubrun Ardouin was elected Senator in 1832 and served on the Council of Secretaries of State in 1845.
Growing up during the revolutionary period, Beaubrun Ardouin was not able to attend school regularly; he was self-taught. He had a strong interest in French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
literature, especially the works of Voltaire
Voltaire
François-Marie Arouet , better known by the pen name Voltaire , was a French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher famous for his wit and for his advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of religion, free trade and separation of church and state...
, Montesquieu
Charles de Secondat, baron de Montesquieu
Charles-Louis de Secondat, baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu , generally referred to as simply Montesquieu, was a French social commentator and political thinker who lived during the Enlightenment...
, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer of 18th-century Romanticism. His political philosophy influenced the French Revolution as well as the overall development of modern political, sociological and educational thought.His novel Émile: or, On Education is a treatise...
.
Ardouin's brothers, Céligny
Céligny Ardouin
Charles Céligny Ardouin was a Haitian politician and historian. He served as a Delegate in 1846, Senator, and Minister of the Interior in 1847. In 1847 he also served on the Council of Secretaries of State...
and Coriolan
Coriolan Ardouin
Coriolan Ardouin was a Haitian romantic poet. Ardouin left only one work before his early death: a compilation of poems entitled Reliques d'un Poète Haïtien , published posthumously in 1837....
, were also well-known; Céligny as a politician and historian, Coriolan as a poet. The three Ardouin brothers, along with the Nau brothers, Emile
Emile Nau
Emile Nau was a Haitian historian and politician. Born in Port-au-Prince, Nau's most famous work is Histoire des Caciques d'Haïti, a history of the "Caciques", or native inhabitants, of Haiti. Nau was the co-editor of two important magazines, Le Républicain and L'Union, which were published by his...
and Ignace
Ignace Nau
Ignace Nau was a Haitian poet and storyteller. Born in Port-au-Prince, Nau studied in a renowned military school in Haiti before attending the Catholic University of New York. After returning to Haiti, Nau founded a literary society named "The School of 1836" with his brother, Emile Nau, and the...
, were members of the literary society "The School of 1836," which was founded by Ignace Nau. Coriolan died young in 1836, while Céligny ran afoul of Faustin-Élie Soulouque
Faustin I of Haiti
Faustin I was born Faustin-Élie Soulouque. He was a career officer and general in the Haïtian army when he was elected President of Haïti in 1847. In 1849 he was proclaimed Emperor of Haïti under the name of Faustin I...
's government and was executed in 1849. Beaubrun published Céligny's Essais sur l'Histoire d'Haïti (English: Essays on the History of Haiti) in 1865, just before his own death.