François-Dominique Toussaint Louverture, also Toussaint Bréda, Toussaint-Louverture, or Toussaint L'ouverture (20 May 1743 – 7 April 1803), was the leader of the Haitian Revolution. His military genius and political acumen transformed an entire society of slaves into the independent black state of Haiti. The success of the Haitian Revolution shook the institution of slavery throughout the New World.