The Official Early(pre-1950s) Haitian History Thread

[Bawon Samedi]

Whats this? Haiti actually stable? But...But... Haiti went to crap right about the revolution.

 

[loyola llothta]

Although not as well known for sponsoring African-American immigration as Boyer or Geffrard, Soulouque’s regime did endeavor to attract people of color from Louisiana. In the above images, we see a Proclamation in Creole composed by Henri Fourrier in 1859, entitled Proclamation de Soulouque Aux Haitiens. The piece shows how people of color followed events in Haiti from Louisiana. Emile Desdunes, an agent of the Haitian state and prominent Creole of color, worked on behalf of Soulouque’s government to bring African-Americans to Haiti, where there presence was desired for labor, specifically, in the agricultural sector.

It is quite fascinating that this proclamation is in Creole, as well, a language all Haitians understood and aligned well with Soulouque’s non-elite origins. For more on Louisiana Creoles of Color and Haiti, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture has an excellent page on Haitian (or Saint Dominguan) immigration in the 18th and 19th centuries, including how Haiti and the Haitian Revolution influenced people of color in literature, culture, music, and social movements.

Image Courtesy of the Louisiana State University Library Creole Echoes Exhibit

 

[GoldTeef]

Haven't gone through the thread yet to see if this was posted, I'll check tomorrow and if it was I'll edit my comment.

http://www.commondreams.org/views/2010/01/17/why-us-owes-haiti-billions-briefest-history

Why does the US owe Haiti Billions? Colin Powell, former US Secretary of State, stated his foreign policy view as the "Pottery Barn rule." That is - "if you break it, you own it."

The US has worked to break Haiti for over 200 years. We owe Haiti. Not charity. We owe Haiti as a matter of justice. Reparations. And not the $100 million promised by President Obama either - that is Powerball money. The US owes Haiti Billions - with a big B.

The US has worked for centuries to break Haiti. The US has used Haiti like a plantation. The US helped bleed the country economically since it freed itself, repeatedly invaded the country militarily, supported dictators who abused the people, used the country as a dumping ground for our own economic advantage, ruined their roads and agriculture, and toppled popularly elected officials. The US has even used Haiti like the old plantation owner and slipped over there repeatedly for sexual recreation.

Here is the briefest history of some of the major US efforts to break Haiti.

In 1804, when Haiti achieved its freedom from France in the world's first successful slave revolution, the United States refused to recognize the country. The US continued to refuse recognition to Haiti for 60 more years. Why? Because the US continued to enslave millions of its own citizens and feared recognizing Haiti would encourage slave revolution in the US.

After the 1804 revolution, Haiti was the subject of a crippling economic embargo by France and the US. US sanctions lasted until 1863. France ultimately used its military power to force Haiti to pay reparations for the slaves who were freed. The reparations were 150 million francs. (France sold the entire Louisiana territory to the US for 80 million francs!)

Haiti was forced to borrow money from banks in France and the US to pay reparations to France. A major loan from the US to pay off the French was finally paid off in 1947. The current value of the money Haiti was forced to pay to French and US banks? Over $20 Billion - with a big B.

The US occupied and ruled Haiti by force from 1915 to 1934. President Woodrow Wilson sent troops to invade in 1915. Revolts by Haitians were put down by US military - killing over 2000 in one skirmish alone. For the next nineteen years, the US controlled customs in Haiti, collected taxes, and ran many governmental institutions. How many billions were siphoned off by the US during these 19 years?

From 1957 to 1986 Haiti was forced to live under US backed dictators "Papa Doc" and "Baby Doc" Duvlaier. The US supported these dictators economically and militarily because they did what the US wanted and were politically "anti-communist" - now translatable as against human rights for their people. Duvalier stole millions from Haiti and ran up hundreds of millions in debt that Haiti still owes. Ten thousand Haitians lost their lives. Estimates say that Haiti owes $1.3 billion in external debt and that 40% of that debt was run up by the US-backed Duvaliers.

Thirty years ago Haiti imported no rice. Today Haiti imports nearly all its rice. Though Haiti was the sugar growing capital of the Caribbean, it now imports sugar as well. Why? The US and the US dominated world financial institutions - the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank - forced Haiti to open its markets to the world. Then the US dumped millions of tons of US subsidized rice and sugar into Haiti - undercutting their farmers and ruining Haitian agriculture. By ruining Haitian agriculture, the US has forced Haiti into becoming the third largest world market for US rice. Good for US farmers, bad for Haiti.

In 2002, the US stopped hundreds of millions of dollars in loans to Haiti which were to be used for, among other public projects like education, roads. These are the same roads which relief teams are having so much trouble navigating now!

In 2004, the US again destroyed democracy in Haiti when they supported the coup against Haiti's elected President Aristide.

Haiti is even used for sexual recreation just like the old time plantations. Check the news carefully and you will find numerous stories of abuse of minors by missionaries, soldiers and charity workers. Plus there are the frequent sexual vacations taken to Haiti by people from the US and elsewhere. What is owed for that? What value would you put on it if it was your sisters and brothers?

US based corporations have for years been teaming up with Haitian elite to run sweatshops teeming with tens of thousands of Haitians who earn less than $2 a day.

The Haitian people have resisted the economic and military power of the US and others ever since their independence. Like all of us, Haitians made their own mistakes as well. But US power has forced Haitians to pay great prices - deaths, debt and abuse.

It is time for the people of the US to join with Haitians and reverse the course of US-Haitian relations.

This brief history shows why the US owes Haiti Billions - with a big B. This is not charity. This is justice. This is reparations. The current crisis is an opportunity for people in the US to own up to our country's history of dominating Haiti and to make a truly just response.

 

[BigMan]

The Oath of the Ancestors, painting by Guillaume Guillon Lethière representing Alexandre Pétion (left) and Jean-Jacques Dessalines (right).

• by Guillaume Guillon-Lethière a quadroon from Guadeloupe

 

[loyola llothta]

The Oath of the Ancestors, painting by Guillaume Guillon Lethière representing Alexandre Pétion (left) and Jean-Jacques Dessalines (right).

• by Guillaume Guillon-Lethière a quadroon from Guadeloupe

This painting was torn after the earthquake

 

[loyola llothta]

This is Toussaint L’Ouverture.

1. The Louisiana Purchase may not have been made had it not been for Toussaint L’Ouverture.

2. L’Ouverture freed the slaves of Haiti in the only permanently successful slave revolt in history.

3. He developed the idea of dominion status for Haiti as part of France. Rejected by Napoleon, the idea subsequently was used by Great Britain 66 years later on July 1, 1862, when Canada became the first dominion.

4. He wrote the first constitution for Haiti. It was the second constitution for a republic in the Western Hemisphere.

5. He was the greatest Black general in history, except for Hannibal 2000 years earlier.

6. He was the most outstanding Black statesman in history.

7. He possessed outstanding ability as a civil administrator.

8. He set up the first legal code for Haiti.

9. He devised the first universal school system for Black people.

10. He dealt with the first five presidents of the United States or their representatives, either when they were in that office or when they were Secretary of State.

11. He was the first Black man to be the subject of poems by two of America’s leading poets.

12. He was the only Black general to defeat three of the world’s biggest armies: French, British and Spanish.

13. He declared emancipation for slaves 61 years before U.S. president Abraham Lincoln did so.

14. He devised a plan for how slaves could gain economic freedom, before those rights were granted in any other country.

15. By bringing the freedom of slaves to the world’s attention, L’Ouverture’ example helped other worldwide liberation movements develop (women’s right to vote and other women’s issues, child labor laws, environmental movements and others).

16. He caused European governments for the first time to deal with the aspirations of Black colonial people. His example was followed by Simon Bolivar in South America, Russians with serfs, British in India, and Boers in South Africa (due to Gandhi’s leadership).

17. Set up the first new and simplified tax code.

18. He got rid of corrupt French tax collectors in Haiti. Substituted clear-cut tax rules.

19. He promulgated and administered new laws with justice (unique for colonials).

20. He improved the quality of slaves’ lives measurably. Gave them pride as members of society.

21. He was the “First one who brought guerrilla warfare to the notice of military historians. He used strict discipline and precision with athletic prowess.”

 

[Mr.Big Meat McGee]

Whats this? Haiti actually stable? But...But... Haiti went to crap right about the revolution.

No it actually went downhill around the early 1900s.

 

[Mr.Big Meat McGee]

The Oath of the Ancestors, painting by Guillaume Guillon Lethière representing Alexandre Pétion (left) and Jean-Jacques Dessalines (right).

• by Guillaume Guillon-Lethière a quadroon from Guadeloupe

I hate this painting so much.

 

[loyola llothta]

Boarding School, Haiti c.1922

 

[loyola llothta]

1970s Anti-Comics from Cuba on the Haitian Revolution #Cuba #Haiti

 

[loyola llothta]

'Fuego: Majestad Negra' 70s Mexican comic about life of Haiti's Henri Christophe, told over 192 issues.


the comic Fire , which published a series called "Black Majesty" based on the true story of Henry Christophe and the Haitian Revolution

 

[loyola llothta]

When Haiti used to send foreign aid to help poor Europeans... (London Morning Chronicle, 25 April 1808)

 

[loyola llothta]

A well-to-do Haitian family in the first half of the twentieth century. Image Courtesy: CIDIHCA Collections.

 

[KravenMorehead™]

Thank you for this thread.

 

[Lord Scion]

Haitians helping Europeans.

Haitians helped the United States in the Revolutionary War.

Haitians helped Simon Bolivar liberate most of South America from Spain.


.....and they turned their collective backs on Haiti in return. Yay....