The very idea of a slave revolt that would overthrow the colonial rulers and establish an independent black nation was an unfathomable occurrence to most people living in 1791, the year when Haitian slaves rose up in unison to oppose their treatment and even the idea of slavery itself. According to Haitian professor and author, Michel-Rolph Trouillot, this event was so unthinkable that even the common narrative given to most students of western history fails to include any mention of Haiti and her revolution1. The deliberate exclusion of Haiti's past is not only important to politically correct college students quick to moan about historical injustices as a means of arm chair activism. The silencing of Haiti's history, and the lack of a honest discussion about Haiti's place in the Western world has had serious consequences for Haiti even in the present day.
Many Americans alive today can remember a time when, Haiti dominated American interests. During the 1970s and 80s, Americans were engaged in discussions regarding Haitian refugee status and oppression under the Duvalier regime. During this time, American media would largely be tainted by the historical silencing of Haiti's past. Displaying their trademark ignorance, media outlets were quick to separate themselves from Haiti's past and blame Haiti for the entirety of the problems facing the country. Their understanding of Haiti, however, is exactly the one we can expect and is a direct product of a lack of consideration towards Haiti's past.
The primary informer to the American people in the pre-internet age was television. News reports would clue the American people in to what was happening worldwide In 1975, Herb Kaplow narrated a segment for Harry Reasoner's news show, T...
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...hile it is impossible for any individual to understand the full scope of world history, the West appears to be very uniformed about Haiti's history. Discussions of the American Civil War, the Louisiana Purchase take place with no mention of the Haitian revolution as even a historical footnote. Likewise, discussions of Haiti's modern day problems take place with no mention of the American invasion of Haiti. The omission of Haiti from historical discussion is nothing less than deliberate and the effects of this on the public's idea of Haiti is nothing less than disastrous. Imagine how different American discourse during the Duvalier years would have been with proper historical context. Even today, it is hard to imagine that Haiti would continue to be silently pillaged by international corporations if it were not for the manufactured lack of interest in Haitian history.
The Nation of Haiti has been plagued with excessive bad luck when it comes to external invasion. Whether it be larger countries taking control, or outsiders brought in as slaves, Haiti has endured many hardships. These issues, while very common in a lot of countries, are exposed in a short story by a native Haitian. In “A Wall of Fire Rising”, Edwidge Danticat illustrates a myriad of historical issues in Haiti from the 17th to the 20th century through a series of events in one family’s life. One such issue would be the Haitian Revolution and the consequences that came of it.
The 1805 Constitution of Haiti is a document that first declares Haiti’s independence from any colonizing power. It declares that the people of Haiti are free and will forever be free, which in many ways is similar to the list of grievances in the United States Declaration of Independence. The people of Haiti would not be subjected to living and working for a king or emperor. The Constitution then goes on to list the rights that Haitian Citizens will have under their new found government. In these rights they use the same language as the United States Constitution, which was made popular by the period of enlightment. This suggest that Haiti was capable of creating a civilized society, which counteracted the notion that blacks were incapable of creating and maintaining civilized society.
Haiti began as the French colony of Saint-Domingue. The island was filled with plantations and slaves working on them. Almost a decade and a half after its settlement, this colony paved the way for many changes throughout the French empire and many other slave nations. Through its difficult struggle, we examine whether the slave revolt of Saint-Domingue that began in the late 16th century was justifiable and whether its result in creating the free nation of Haiti was a success. The slave insurrection began in August 1791 in Saint-Domingue.
Casimir, J, & Claypool, M 2012, ‘Going Backwards Toward the Future: From Haiti to Saint-Domingue,’ The Global South, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 172-192.
Haiti as a rich history, filled with many peoples’ blood and countless hopes of freedom. With such a rich history, the country has yet to become financially stable because of their past. From the beginning of the French settlement where slaves were brought over from Africa to harvest crops, to the dictatorship of the Duvalier family. Haiti has yet to see a time when they are not in need of help. After the racial caste systems were set in place, many people would not see a truly independent country. When France finally gave independence to Haiti, they did it for a price. After they paid that price, the US occupied them because of their location and many resources. Every year in Haiti’s history as a nation and before has effects on the world today. These effects are not hidden in fine print, but blatantly found within Haiti and those who have been involved with Haiti.
Several of the problems that Haiti faces today have their genesis in the country’s colonial history. The country was like a toy being fought over by spoiled children. The first of these children arrived in the early sixteenth century in the form of Spanish settlers in search of gold. They enslaved the native Taino population and, poisoned by avarice, nearly eradicated the indigenous work force. Thousands of African slaves were brought in to take their place. Eventually, the Spanish left the island to grab their share of newly discovered treasure in other lands. Tiring of their toy, the Spanish
Haiti was once an economic power when France held claim to the Eastern Part of Hispaniola, then named St. Domingue. It was a French colony flourishing with coffee and sugar. Eventually the ideals of the French Revolution - Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity - made its way to the colonies resulting in a revolution. Haiti was the first slave-led revolution and declared its independence as a republic on January 1, 1804. After their declaration of independence, things started to make a turn for the worst. In 1934 the U.S. forces occupied Haiti to establish stability. The U.S. appointed heads of state but the real power was present in the U.S. occupiers, whereas the heads of state are just figureheads. Haiti’s economy dwindled further down when France demanded reparations of 150 million francs, which wasn’t paid off until 1947. In 65 years, Haiti had 22 heads of state.” In 1957 Francois Duvalier is elected president. He later “creates a totalitarian dictatorship and in 1964 declares himself president-for-life.” This is where Haiti’s political instability really begins.
The Age of Revolutions was a period of time in which many global revolutions took place, especially within America and Europe. A revolution is an overthrow of government or social order in favour of political change. There were many revolutions that took place between 1760 and 1840, most notable being the American Revolution from 1775 to 1783, and the French Revolution beginning in 1789 and ending in 1799. These, along with the Napoleonic Empire, which carried on from the French Revolution and lasted until 1815; all greatly transformed the Atlantic world. This occurred through these global revolutions, which inspired another revolution within the slave island of Haiti. The focus of this essay will be on the aforementioned revolutions,
Early in the nineteenth century rebellion against European authority broke out in Latin America. First, slaves on the island of Haiti revolted against their French masters. Led by former slave Toussaint L'Overture the Haitians defeated France making Haiti the...
The result is that Haitians are oppressed because they feel that they are hopeless and that they are trapped in the mold that the media has created. “You will hear these words until you are sick to your stomach, until you no longer recognize [their land], until you start to believe the news stories are true, that nothing else matters, that [translation to English: you cannot buy things you don’t need, you don’t exist, you don’t count, you do not deserve respect].” This quote perfectly articulates the effects the media has on the people of Haiti. Gay pinpoints the media for creating a self-fulfilling prophecy or mold for the Haitians. Because Haiti is represented as poor and stricken by misfortune, the citizens believe this and feel a sense of hopelessness. Overall, the symbol of the media results in Haitians not being able to live out their full potential because of this oppression from the foreign
1985. The 'Secondary' of the Logan, Rayford. Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Oxford University Press, New York, NY. 1968. The.
The late 18th century and early 19th century was a prominent time period in which the French Revolution and Haitian revolution occurred. Both revolutions were connected to each other such that they shared similar causes and consequences. Together, France and Haiti were angered by the inequality and unfair privileges that continued to appear in their societies. At the same time, they were inspired and hopeful of bringing the Enlightenment ideas into reality. Although they were able to accomplish most of what they fought for, such as the abolition of slavery, they still took part in bloody revolutions. However, one of the greatest differences in their outcomes was that France emerged as a new, firm government as Haiti staggered with its new independence.
The San Domingo revolution led to the abolition of slavery, independence of Haiti from France and the proclamation of a black republic. However, unlike many historians, CLR James in his work, The Black Jacobins, does not depict the struggle for independence as merely a slave revolt which happened to come after the French Revolution. He goes beyond providing only a recount of historical events and offers an intimate look at those who primarily precipitated the fall of French rule, namely the black slaves themselves. In doing so, James offers a perspective of black history which empowers the black people, for they are shown to actually have done something, and not merely be the subject of actions and attitudes of others.
In the night of August 22, 1791, which initiated the Haitian Revolution, Dutty Boukman, a slave and religious leader gathered a gang of slaves and uttered one of the most important prayers in the Black Atlantic religious thought.1 The prayer embodies the historical tyranny of oppression and suffering, and the collective cry for justice, freedom, and human dignity of the enslaved Africans at Saint-Domingue. The Guy who is not happy with the situation tha...
Encyclopedia of the New American Nation. Television – TV news and the early Cold War. 2013. The. Web. The Web.