Glover To Make Movie On Slave Revolt

We know, this isn't a post on sports.

But sometimes, it's important and required to point out events or issues that are in the news and might not be related to athletics.

Danny Glover, of Lethal Weapon fame, has put together a movie about Toussaint Louverture.

Toussaint Louverture is a towering figure in the region's (the slave revolt took place in Haiti) history. A freed slave of African descent, he led thousands of slaves in successful campaigns against British, Spanish and French troops before being betrayed, captured and exiled. He died in 1803, just before his followers succeeded in establishing the island's independence. William Wordsworth wrote a sonnet about him.

Glover will also direct the film.

Glover said he wanted to educate the US about the story. "It's been essentially wiped out of our historic memory, it's been wiped clean."

Certainly, we aren't surprised that the story of a successful slave uprising has been left behind in the collective memory of US society. The discussion of such an event could, of course, be very detrimental to the objectives of that segment of society residing high up in the ivory tower of evil.

Some might argue that this is Haitian history, not US history. Well, long ago, the US decided that its sphere of direct influence would include this entire hemisphere. Forever intertwining policies and history.

While Glover's bringing this piece of American history to screen is important, the funding of the film is the most interesting part of the story.

"Venezuela is to give the American actor Danny Glover almost $18m (£9m) to make a film about a slave uprising in Haiti, with President Hugo Chávez hoping the historical epic will sprinkle Hollywood stardust on his effort to mobilise world public opinion against imperialism and western oppression."


Although some might not fully support all the politics of President Chavez, we still believe it is important to acknowledge the importance of this undertaking. The US government and infrastructure has fought for years to keep stories such as this from the American people. Burying it beneath their lies and propagandist rhetoric of democracy and civil rights. Spoon feeding us a revisionist history designed to shackle specific segments of society to their pasts.

We applaud Mr. Chavez for giving the people of the US the gift of our history. A gift our own government has been hiding in the attic.