Visual Representation

The Use of Art by the Oppressor

The Haitian Revolution is not simply one against tyranny, but against the most extreme racism that takes form in slavery. With numbers and strength on their side, the enslaved Haitians used a variety of tactics to overcome their oppressors. One scene of struggle is depicted in an image produced by the French military under the title, “Massacres des Blancs par les Noirs” (Massacre of the Whites by the Blacks). The black and white drawing depicts two distinct sides in the battle for justice.

The usage of color in the drawing emphasizes the juxtaposition between the two groups of people. The figures portrayed in the light and foreground of the drawing give off an air of innocence, whereas those in the background are colored darkly and are seen as violent. The white facial expressions mainly communicate fear and their body language indicates weakness. Color is also used in order to give more detail to the lighter figures in the drawing, whereas the darker figures have less detail. This lack of feature results in the people of color being seen as one singular force, rather than individual people. Finally, the darker people are shaded similarly to the trees in the background. This association results in the darker people being seen as primal and inhuman. Overall, the contrasts in light and dark colors cause the viewer to identify sides of good and evil in the drawing.

The angle of the bodies in combination with the slant of the scene create a clear distinction between those attacking and those being attacked. The positioning of the white bodies in the drawing makes many of their expressions far more clear than those of the darker faces. With the addition of their tilt, the white figures appear to lean back while the black figures are leaning forward. This contrast in body angle gives the black figures a more aggressive demeanor and paints the white figures as passive and subject to the violence. Additionally, the darker bodies are all placed in a crest shape around the white bodies to resemble an overwhelming and possibly out of control wave.

Through this drawing of the Haitian Revolution, the artist attempts to show the Haitian slaves as the aggressors and the colonists as at mercy to the Haitians’ violence. The colonizers are positioned to appear passive while the Haitians take the offense. However, this representation contrasts with many reports of the horrible treatment of the Haitian slaves under the French. The rhetorical effect of the piece is to grow support for the French and their involvement in the colony. Being mainly distributed through a written history of the French military, the image also sends a clear warning to other colonizers concerning potential slave uprisings. The work was written in the 1830s while European colonization efforts were still prevalent therefore this example of failed control was applicable to these endeavours. The overall statement of the piece is trying to humanize the colonizers and connect with other slave owners. The title: “Massacre des Blancs par les Noirs” and description of the artwork reinforce this sentiment by stripping away the context of Haitian slavery and painting the revolutionaries as uncivil rioters.

By using the plantation of Le Cap as the setting for the drawing, the artist aims to rally Frenchmen and increase anti-Haitian sentiment. The burning of crops, as indicated by the smoke in the background of the drawing, was a common method used by slaves to fight against the French planters. This particular sugarcane plantation was the largest center for commercial activity at the time the rebellion took place. A large mobilization of the labor force against the French colonists would have negative impacts on the exports leaving Haiti. In this way, the revolt would be seen as a hindrance to their economic prospects. Such events with potentially fiscal consequences speak volumes and often alert those whose pockets may be affected. Therefore, the drawing largely appeals to the French colonists who extort the Haitian slaves for financial benefit.

...and has continued into the present as evident by the propaganda surrounding protests for racial equality. One example lies in the media coverage of the Black Panther Party during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Right wing political groups and conservative newspapers publications often used fear mongering tactics to report negatively on the organization as a means to keep the United States divided and hinder progress. In reality, the party would often retaliate with violence, but refrained from authorizing unprovoked attacks which was the dominating story in the media. Both cases undercut the reality that was the power structure between the two groups. This journalist practice has unfortunately persisted with the rise of BLM. Their protests are categorized as “riots” for an excuse to combat the growing movement for social equality. Jim Brunner, a Seattle Times reporter, highlights this inaccuracy by exposing a conservative news network for publishing doctored images of the 2020 BLM protests. The published image was a combination of several photos taken on different days and the result greatly exaggerated the violence of the event (Brunner). Coverage on both the Black Panther Party and BLM are but two examples that echo the racist portrayals in “Massacres des Blancs par les Noirs.”

The representation of minorities in any form of media throughout history has long been in the hands of the white man. “Massacres des Blancs par les Noirs” does not present a contrast to this notion, but rather continues to play into the same twisted narrative of depicting marginalized groups as inferior. It is now the duty of the media to fight these tendencies and report the most accurate truth possible.