Jean-Jacques Dessalines (September 20, 1758–October 17, 1806) was a leader of the Haïtian Revolution and an Emperor of Haïti (1804–1806 under the name of Jacques I).

Dessalines was born in Grande-Rivière-du-Nord in what was at that time the French colony of Saint-Domingue on the island of Quisqueya. He first served as an officer in the French army and later rose to become a commander in the revolt against the same colonial power. In early 1802 he briefly joined the invading troops of French General Leclerc. After the betrayal and capture of Toussaint L'Ouverture in 1802, Dessalines switched sides again together with Pétion. He became the leader of the revolution and, after defeating the French troops sent by Napoleon in November 1803 at the battle of Vertières, he declared Haïti independent on January 1, 1804, in Gonaïves. He was chosen by the council of the generals (blacks and mulatos) to assume the office of Governor General, and became emperor of Haïti in 1805 to signify the distance with the french imperialist regime.

Dessalines tried very hard to keep the sugar industry and plantations running and producing without slavery.

Dessalines, who had been born a slave, held a grudge against French people. Once in power he demanded that all of the remaining French be massacred in revenge for centuries of barbarism and a constant menace to reimpose slavery on the black nation of Haiti.

Dessalines declared Haïti an all black nation and forbade whites from ever again owning property or land there.This law is still a symbol of pride in Haiti.

He also enforced a harsh regimen of plantation labour, described as caporalisme agraire (agrarian militarism) by the historian Michel-Rolph Trouillot. Dessalines demanded that all blacks either work as soldiers to protect the nation or laborers in the plantations or fields.

Dessalines also believed in the tight regulation of foreign trade, which however was essential for Haïti's sugar- and coffee-based export economy. Dessalines favoured merchants from Britain and the United States over those from France.

For his administration, Dessalines needed literate and educated officials and managers. He placed, in these positions, well-educated Haïtians who were disproportionately from the light-skinned elite.

A conspiracy to overthrow him involved both Henri Christophe and Alexandre Pétion who succeeded him. The Emperor was assassinated near Port-au-Prince, officially at a location called Pont Rouge (Red Bridge) on October 17, 1806 on his way to fight the rebels. But some historians noted that he was killed at Petion's house at Rue l'Enterrement after a meeting to negotiate the power and the future of the young nation. A monument at the northern entrance of the Haïtian capital marks the place where the Emperor met his death.

A woman from humble background, Défilée, took the mutilated body of the Emperor to bury him. Reviled by generations of Haïtians, Dessalines gained a new and more prestigious profile as an icon of Haïtian nationalism, at the beginning of the 20th century.

The national anthem of Haïti, La Dessalinienne, is in his honor.