Salt Lake Telegram | 1928-03-11 | Page 13 | 'Black Majesty' Tells Story of Colored Empire

Black Majesty aj esty Tells Story of Colored Empire Hectic Career of King Henry in Haiti Vividly Vividly Viv Viv- idly Described By MORRIS D D. D TRACY John W. W W. W Vander Vandercook ook who de desPite despite do- do spite many activities still StUl may be called a somewhat a-somewhat youthful writer has hits gone into new fields and brought forth In Black Majesty the fascinating story of King Henry Hen lIen ry Christophe who a a. century ago ruled the Island which now is Haiti King Henry established a black empire I in Haiti which had Its counts and barons nearly all of i whom were born in slavery His Ills army defied Napoleons Napoleon's s 's fleet and I of Napoleons Napoleon's soldiers and defied it successfully Under King Henry Haiti recognized became In Europe as one of ot the powers of ot the western world It prospered and its people poop were happy Its king maintained maintained main main- tamed a court of ot almost unimaginable able grandeur Then reverses came and King Henry ended hIs OVI life Ufe b by firing into his head bead a a. golden bullet which he had molded for for- forthe the purpose SOUGHT SOUGHT MATERIAL Vandet Vandel ook whose first book was Tom Tom a story of ot the bush negroes of Suriname South AmerIca America America Amer Amer- ica went to Haiti and delved into old records and talked with the pa pa- gathering the m material for tor his story The result Is as fascinating fascinating fasci fasci- as fiction yet despite e the theauthor's theauthor's II authors author's sa disclaimers r that ha he has written a reference book la Is a a. convincIng convincing convincing con con- history of a a. forgotten series of ot happenings in the world Vandercook that King Henry was born in slavery slaver At the age of ot 7 h he was taught the trade was successively a bootblack bootblack bootblack boot boot- black an attendant at a billiard hall servant to a French naval officer officer officer of of- in the sq squadron adron sent by France to aid the revolution in the United States in 1779 1719 a hostler for tor a a. negro master and then leader of ot a revolution revolution tion The story tells how with Tous Tous- saint a n negro coachman and Jean Jacques Dessalines a plantation hand control of Haiti was WM wrested from France and ruled rule by Toussaint Then after Napoleon sent men and a Ii fleet to win winit it back and failed after alter months of ot bloody fighting Henry Christophe became the king and for years governed governed gov gov- from a court of ot amazing grandeur Black Majesty is Vandercook'S second book He Is 26 years old and was waa born In London He started I his career after attending Yale as asa asa asa I a newspaper man in eastern astern cities I His father had llad been a a. newspaper newspaperman man before him having been one of ot the founders and fir first t presidents of ot the United Press associations Vandercook Van Van- dercook is now In the Belgian Congo Congo Congo Con Con- go probably gathering gatherIng- material for more stories of the black race The book published by Harpers is handsomely bound and illus mus U. U U. U P. P