p 61 "[Toussaint} knew that the Negroes were oppressed not becase they were Negroes, but because they were weak. Epictetus and millions of other white men had been slaves. The chieftains who sold war prisoners and even their own subjects into slavery were of the same race as their victims. White planters were often cruel, but mulatto planters were said to be even worse."
This quote is exactly what I've been looking for. For too long we have confused slavery as being a cruelty that only white people do to only black people. Slavery is a human embarrassment. It has nothing to do with race.
I've been thinking about presenting the Toussaint story much in the manner of a Shakespearean play that has been updated. What if his story could be told in today's terms, placing him in today's context, so that readers could relate to how respected he was and how important he was to his time? Do I have Clue One about how to pull this off? No really, but I really like the idea. Dispensing with the race issue might jar people's understanding just enough to relate.
"Patience bat la force" = Patience overcomes strength. "Doucement alle' loin" = Gentleness goes far.