The leader of the Haitian Revolution was Toussaint Louverture. A former enslaved person, Louverture became a key figure in the fight against French colonial rule in Haiti in the late 18th century. He skillfully led military campaigns and negotiations, eventually establishing a degree of autonomy for the colony. Under his leadership, Louverture transformed Haiti into a symbol of hope and resistance against oppression. Despite his success, he was later captured by the French and died in captivity in 1803, but Haiti eventually achieved independence on January 1, 1804, becoming the first black-led republic.