The First and Last King of Haiti: The Rise and Fall of Henry Christophe
By Marlene L. Daut
Knopf, 2025

Henry Christophe was a source of fascination in the 19th century world, yet today he is one of the least understood leaders in the history of the Americas. Born in 1767 to an enslaved mother on Grenada, he fought in both the American and Haitian Revolutions. In the latter, Christophe eventually turned against his enslaved Haitian comrades to join the French, later returning to fight for Haiti and declare himself their king. This deeply-researched biography shows how his complicated life and legacy enduringly shaped the history of Haiti and the Americas.

This event is presented in partnership with the Delaware Historical Society and Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice (SDARJ).

About the Author
Marlene Daut is Professor of French and African Diaspora Studies at Yale University. Daut’s articles on Haitian history and culture have appeared in over a dozen magazines, newspapers, and journals including The New Yorker, The New York Times, and Essence. She lives with her family in Connecticut.

Purchase the book
Please help support local independent bookstores by purchasing this book at Browseabout Books, official bookseller of the History Book Festival. Online sources and digital versions are tempting; however, supporting local brick and mortar shops helps to preserve our vibrant main streets. Drop by Browseabout, order books online, or call the store at 302-226-2665. You also may purchase a copy at biblion in Lewes.

About the Festival
The History Book Festival is the first and only book festival in the United States devoted exclusively to history. With the help of our presenting funding partners — Delaware Humanities and The Lee Ann Wilkinson Group, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices | PenFed Realty — as well as our program and community partners, volunteers, and donors, the 2025 History Book Festival will be full of great discussions with authors of newly published narrative nonfiction and historical fiction. 

Thanks to all of our donors, especially our education and outreach funding partners: Ronald Collins & Susan Cohen, Carolyn & Aaron Nayer, Jen Mason & Clare Hancock, and Browseabout Books. HBF authors visit classrooms in Delaware, and HBF provides their books to schools, libraries, and community organizations.

Our Keynote event is presented by Griswold Home Care for Sussex and Kent Counties and Sally Mott Freeman & John K. Freeman; our Closing event is presented by the Delaware Community Foundation. Saturday’s Spirited Discussion, our gathering for attendees and presenters to celebrate and discuss their day, is presented by Dogfish Head Beer & Benevolence.

Special thanks to our Founding Program Partners for their continuing support: the Lewes Public Library, for event promotion and production, and Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach, official bookseller of the History Book Festival. Thanks also to the  Lewes Chamber of Commerce for event promotion, and the Cape Gazette and Delmarva Public Media, our media partners.