“It was maroonage and escape on a grand scale, with individual fugitives banding together to create independent communities of their own, that struck directly at the roots of this plantation system, presenting military and economic threats that often taxed the colonists to their limits. In a remarkable number of cases throughout the Americas whites were forced to humble themselves and beg their former slaves for peace. Treaties were signed with African maroons in Jamaica, Brazil, Columbia, Cuba, Ecuador, Hispaniola, Mexico, Surinam, and Dominica. Haiti was a bird of a stronger black color. The Africans did what all the others should have done: not sign any treaty with their enemies. Instead, Toussaint, Dessalines and Christophe, with thousands of African warriors, crushed the French to the ground, and simply and literally took their freedom. It could have been done in all those other areas.” ~ Dr. Edward Scobie
