Thomas Madiou
Encyclopedia
Thomas Madiou was a Haiti
an historian. His work Histoire d'Haïti (English: History of Haiti) is considered one of the most valuable documents of Haitian literature. His history tried to repair the reputation of the black leaders of the Haitian Revolution
, especially Toussaint Louverture, portraying the struggle as a justified rebellion against the terrible oppression of slavery. This placed his work in contrast to the history written by Beaubrun Ardouin
, appearing a few years after Madiou's, which tried to place the Haitian Revolution in the context of the other independence struggles in Latin America and deny it a class or racial character. Ardouin was trying to make Haiti fit into the community of nations in the Americas in the 1830's while Madiou was stressing what made Haiti unique.
Born in Port-au-Prince
, Madiou left Haiti at age ten to study in France at the Royal College of Angers
(Collège Royal d'Angers). He later studied in Rennes
, France and received a Bachelor of Arts
degree in Letters there. He then attended the Law School of Paris
for two years before returning to Haiti. It was then that he began writing Histoire d'Haïti. Madiou also worked as Director of Le Moniteur, the official government publication, in 1849.
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. His work Histoire d'Haïti (English: History of Haiti) is considered one of the most valuable documents of Haitian literature. His history tried to repair the reputation of the black leaders of 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...
, especially Toussaint Louverture, portraying the struggle as a justified rebellion against the terrible oppression of slavery. This placed his work in contrast to the history written by Beaubrun Ardouin
Beaubrun Ardouin
Alexis Beaubrun Ardouin was a Haitian historian and politician. He is best remembered for his eleven-volume Etudes sur l'Histoire d'Haïti , published in 1865. His Etudes have served as a valuable resource for later historians...
, appearing a few years after Madiou's, which tried to place the Haitian Revolution in the context of the other independence struggles in Latin America and deny it a class or racial character. Ardouin was trying to make Haiti fit into the community of nations in the Americas in the 1830's while Madiou was stressing what made Haiti unique.
Born in Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....
, Madiou left Haiti at age ten to study in France at the Royal College of Angers
Angers
Angers is the main city in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France about south-west of Paris. Angers is located in the French region known by its pre-revolutionary, provincial name, Anjou, and its inhabitants are called Angevins....
(Collège Royal d'Angers). He later studied in Rennes
Rennes
Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:...
, France and received a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in Letters there. He then attended the Law School of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
for two years before returning to Haiti. It was then that he began writing Histoire d'Haïti. Madiou also worked as Director of Le Moniteur, the official government publication, in 1849.