Repaying Our Debt To Haiti
By Ron Daniels
TBWT Contributor
Article Dated 1/2/2003
More than just a celebration of the new year, January 1st has a
special significance in the Haitian community; it is Haitian Independence Day
which marks the occasion of the declaration of the first Black Republic in
this hemisphere after an incredible 15 year revolt led by former enslaved
Africans to win their freedom and independence. African people and the world
are indebted to the Haitian people. Haitian soldiers fought side by side
with the Continental Army in the Battle of Savannah, thereby making a
contribution to the success of the American Revolution.
But only the Haitian revolutionaries, led by the Vodoo Priest Boukman,
Toussaint Louverture, Jean Jacques Dessalines, Henri Christophe and
Alexander Petion had the courage to overturn and abolish the slave
system at the height of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Moreover, this
Pan-African revolution (many of the leaders of the revolt were former enslaved
Africans from other Caribbean Islands like Jamaica, Grenada and Cuba) helped to
liberate the other half of the Island of Hispaniola paving the way for
the creation of the Dominican Republic as an independent nation.
Haiti also provided safe haven for Simon Bolivar and equipped him with
arms when he launched his campaign to liberate South America. And, the
defeat of the mighty armies of Napoleon Bonaparte by the Haitian revolutionaries
was directly responsible for the U.S. purchase of the vast Louisiana
Territory from France.
Of equal significance, the Haitian Revolution was a bright beacon of
hope and inspiration for free and enslaved Africans around the world. It
shattered the myth of white supremacy and invincibility thereby giving encouragement to other enslaved Africans to revolt against slave systems wherever they existed. The example of Haitian was frequently noted in the
proceedings of the Colored People's Conventions in the 19th century. Haiti was a
proud symbol of Black self-governance and a concrete illustration that
African people could achieve the same status everywhere. No doubt the drumbeat
of Boukman's warriors constantly reverberated throughout the slave
quarters of plantations in the U.S. Denmark Vesey's goal was to sail to Haiti
with thousands of newly freed Africans if his elaborate revolt had
succeeded in Charleston, S.C. As Leon A. Pamphile reveals in his extraordinary book Haitians and African Americans: A Heritage of Tragedy and Hope, Haiti
continued to be a source of inspiration for Africans in America long
after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation and the end of the Civil
War. Under the leadership of James Theodore Holly two major migrations of
Africans in America to Haiti were attempted. For reasons of cultural
differences and political instability each attempt proved unsuccessful. Nonetheless,
Haiti as an independent Black Republic maintained a special place in the hearts
and minds of African Americans, especially because of the violence and
indignities Black people had to endure under apartheid in the South
and defacto segregation in the North.
Frederick Douglass was a great champion of Haiti and fought hard to
protect the Republic from the evil machinations of U.S. corporations. In the
20th century, the NAACP built solid relationships with the government of
Haiti and emerged as the leading voice advocating for the end of U.S. occupation
(1915-1934) and more favorable treatment towards the Haitian people.
Unfortunately, as the prior reference suggests, the first Black Republic
has never been permitted to fulfill the promise of the Revolution, which
was consummated in 1804. France refused to recognize Haiti until the
government of the Republic paid millions of dollars in reparations to French
colonialists and slave masters for their loss of property. The U.S.
was not eager to recognize Haiti because the government correctly feared that
the example of enslaved Africans overturning slave systems would encourage
similar revolts in the South.
Morever, the prospect of exploiting cheap labor in Haiti as a subservient
country was quite appealing to the government and corporate establishment.
Though there have been unresolved tensions and contradictions within
Haitian society from the very beginning, the main reason why Haiti has never
fully realized its potential is because the U.S. has always treated this
nation as a neo-colony.
As Haiti prepares to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the Haitian
Revolution in 2004, I firmly believe that Africans in America and
friends of Haiti must put their arms around the Haitian people and work with them
to fulfill the promise of the Revolution in terms of developing real
democracy and development in the 21st century. It is time to repay our debt to
Haiti for the extraordinary contribution the Haitian people have made to
Africans and the world.
In practical terms this means African Americans must continue to work
to mediate the current political crisis in Haiti in hopes of achieving a
peaceful settlement; fight for a more favorable attitude and policy
towards Haiti by the U.S. government; spearhead the movement to compel France
to repay the reparations it forced Haiti to pay for winning its freedom
and, build a strong base of private humanitarian and material assistance
for organizations and agencies in Haiti that are working to improve the
quality of life of the people.
We can also assist Haiti by joining with the Haiti Support Project in
taking a Pilgrimage to the first Black Republic via the Cruising Into
History/Haiti 2004 Initiative (
www.cruisingintohistory.org). Our goal is to charter
an entire cruise ship to take upwards of 3,000 people to Haiti August
14-21, 2004. This fantastic voyage will be a huge boost to cultural
tourism in Haiti. It will also uplift the spirit of the Haitian people to see
such a large contingent of their brothers and sisters from the U.S. sailing
to Haiti to join with them in celebrating one of the greatest feats in history.
It is time to repay our debt to Haiti!,
.Picard of P.S
Copyright © 2002 The Black World Today.
All Rights Reserved.
"Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your house...let no one come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living _expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting."-Mother Theressa-
02-01-03, 10:11 AM
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