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Front: Lysius Salomon (1815-1888), President of Haiti 1879-1888

Salomon was born to an influential family. However, political rivalry forced him to spend many years in exile. He first returned in 1847 to become Minister of Finance for 11 years. He was subsequently appointed Minister of the Interior only to be exiled again.

Salomon returned again to Haiti in 1879 and was elected President. He was credited for restoring Haiti's financial health. On 10 August 1888, President Salomon was driven out of office and fled to France where he died shortly after.

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Front: Henri Christophe (1767-1820), President of Haiti 1807-1820

Christophe was born in St. Kitts and was brought to Saint Domingue as a slave. He worked in a hotel restaurant and eventually obtained his freedom. He distinguished himself in the rebellion of 1791, and was promoted to the rank of general in 1802. He became President of Haiti in 1807, proclaimed King of Haiti in 1811, and committed suicide in 1820.

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Front: Jean-Jacques Dessalines (1758-1806), Emperor of Haiti 1804-1806 under the name of Jacques I

Dessalines was born as a servant. He joined the French army as an officer, but later fought against the same colonial power. He defeated the French troops in 1803, and proclaimed Haiti independent on January 1, 1804. He declared himself emperor of Haiti in 1805.

During his reign, many French whites were massacred. Dessalines declared Haiti an all black nation and forbade whites from owning property or land. He was assassinated in 1806.

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Front: Francois Dominique Touissant L'Ouverture (1743-1803), revolutionary leader

Touissant was a leader of the Great Haitian Slave Revolt in 1791 against plantation owners in this small French island colony of a half-million African slaves. He trained the disorganized Black slaves into hardened troops. Toussaint defeated the English army, causing over 40,000 casualties. He even defeated the army of Napoleon Bonaparte, the greatest conqueror of that time. In 1801 he invaded Spanish Santo Domingo and freed the slaves there. He briefly maintained control over the entire island, establishing the first Black-led government in the Americas, before being arrested by French agents in 1802 and deported to France.

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