Dutty Boukman Dutty Boukman ( Boukman Dutty ) ( died ca . 1791 ) was a Jamaican - born Haitian slave who was one of the most visible early leaders of the Haitian Revolution . According to some contemporary accounts , Boukman may have conducted a religious ceremony in which a freedom covenant was affirmed ; this ceremony would have been a catalyst to the slave uprising that marked the beginning of the Haïtian Revolution . Background . Dutty Boukman may have been a self - educated slave born on the island of Jamaica . Some sources indicate that he was later sold by his British master to a French plantation owner after he attempted to teach other Jamaican slaves to read , who put him to work as a " commandeur " ( slave driver ) and , later , a coach driver . His French name came from his English nickname , " " Book Man , " " which some scholars , despite accounts suggesting that he was a Vodou houngan , have interpreted as meaning that he may have been Muslim , since in many Muslim regions the term " man of the book " is a synonym for an adherent of the Islamic faith . One scholar suggests that it is likely that Boukman " was a Jamaican Muslim who had a Quran , and that he got his nickname from this . " Other scholars suggest that Boukman may have practiced a syncretic blend of traditional African religion and a form of Christianity . Ceremony at the Bois Caïman . According to some contemporary accounts , in August 1791 Boukman presided over a ceremony at the Bois Caïman in the role of " houngan " ( priest ) together with priestess Cécile Fatiman . Boukman prophesied that the slaves Jean François , Biassou , and Jeannot would be leaders of a resistance movement and revolt that would free the slaves of Saint - Domingue . An animal was sacrificed , an oath was taken , and Boukman and the priestess exhorted the listeners to take revenge against their French oppressors and " [ c ] ast aside the image of the God of the oppressors . " According to the Encyclopedia of African Religion , " Blood from the animal , and some say from humans as well , was given in a drink to the attendees to seal their fates in loyalty to the cause of liberation of Sainte - Domingue . " A week later , 1800 plantations had been destroyed and 1000 slaveholders killed . Boukman was not the first to attempt a slave uprising in Saint - Domingue , as he was preceded by others , such as Padrejean in 1676 , and François Mackandal in 1757 . However , his large size , warrior - like appearance , and fearsome temper made him an effective leader and helped spark the Haitian Revolution . According to Gothenburg University researcher Markel Thylefors , " The event of the Bwa Kayiman ceremony forms an important part of Haitian national identity as it relates to the very genesis of Haiti . " This ceremony came to be characterized by various Christian sources as a " pact with the devil " that began the Haitian revolution . Pat Robertson ' s " " Pact with the Devil " " allegation . In the wake of the 2010 Haiti earthquake , veteran Christian radio and television personality Pat Robertson claimed that Haiti had been " cursed by one thing after another " since the late 18th century and , in an apparent reference to the Bois Caïman ceremony , revived the allegation that Haitians had sworn a " pact to the devil . " This view was criticized by urban legend expert Rich Buehler , who claimed that Robertson ' s statement was incorrect on a variety of historical points , and propagated a common claim that vodou is Satan ic in nature . Several Mainline and evangelical Christian voices criticized Robertson ' s remarks as misleading , untimely and insensitive .