The influential leader of the Haitian Revolution against French colonial rule was Toussaint L'Ouverture. A former enslaved person, L'Ouverture became a key figure in the fight for independence in Saint-Domingue (now Haiti) during the late 18th century. He demonstrated exceptional military and political leadership, eventually leading the enslaved population to rebel against French colonial authorities. L'Ouverture's efforts were critical to the establishment of Haiti as the first independent black republic and the first nation in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery. Despite his eventual capture and death in France, his legacy endures as a symbol of resistance and freedom.