1805 – Haitian General Jean-Jacques Dessalines Declares Himself Emperor

On June 8, 1805, Haitian revolutionary leader Jean-Jacques Dessalines declared himself Emperor Jacques I of Haiti, marking a bold new chapter for the world’s first Black republic. After leading the enslaved population to victory over French colonial forces, Dessalines sought to establish a strong and sovereign nation, free from European control. His self-coronation symbolized both defiance and autonomy, as he worked to restructure Haitian society away from plantation servitude. Though his rule was brief—ending with his assassination in 1806—Dessalines laid the foundation for Black self-governance in the Western Hemisphere and inspired anti-colonial movements worldwide. His 1805 constitution explicitly outlawed slavery and extended Haitian citizenship to all Black people globally. June 8 stands as a day of radical Black assertion and a reminder of Haiti’s unmatched place in history as the first post-slavery, Black-led nation.