The key figure that helped lead the Haitian Revolution against French colonial rule was Toussaint L'Ouverture. A former enslaved person, L'Ouverture emerged as a leader of the revolution in the late 18th century, advocating for the abolition of slavery and independence for Haiti. His military and political acumen enabled him to successfully mobilize enslaved people and free blacks in a struggle against colonial oppression. L'Ouverture's efforts laid the groundwork for Haiti's eventual independence in 1804, making it the first black-led republic and the second independent nation in the Americas following the United States.