Olivia: Can a secret oath, sworn under a raging storm, truly ignite a revolution that shatters an empire? Welcome to "When It Happened," I'm Olivia. Olivia: Today, we're diving into C.L.R. James's monumental The Black Jacobins. It plunges us into 18th-century Saint-Domingue, modern Haiti – France's richest colony, built on the unimaginable suffering of enslaved Africans. James brilliantly shows these weren't just victims; they were the architects of their freedom. Leaders like Toussaint L'Ouverture would rise, but the true spark, James argues, wasn't a top-down decree. It ignited deep in the woods, on one fateful night... Olivia: August 1791. Picture Bois Caïman: a dark forest, a fierce tropical storm raging. Rain lashes down, thunder cracks. In a hidden clearing lit by torches, hundreds of enslaved people gather. Voodoo priest Dutty Boukman presides, invoking African spirits, transforming shared suffering into collective power. Then, the chilling oath echoes through the storm: "We swear to destroy the whites and all that they possess; let us die rather than fail to keep this vow." This was the signal. Olivia: Why this moment? James argues it’s the pivotal spark igniting the Haitian Revolution. It wasn't just random violence; it was the coordinated beginning. This ceremony shows the enslaved people's agency, using their own spiritual traditions – Voodoo – as a revolutionary organizing force. It wasn't just French ideals trickling down; it was enslaved people actively forging their own path, asserting their humanity and claiming their right to freedom. This oath set the stage for the brutal war and eventual independence. Olivia: What can we learn? First, never underestimate the power of shared belief to fuel collective action. Second, remember that freedom is rarely given; it must often be seized by those demanding their humanity. That's the electrifying moment from The Black Jacobins. Join me next time on "When It Happened" for another pivotal scene. Until then, keep reading.