Let's Not Give Up Haiti Yet

Once upon a time Haiti was the mecca of the Caribbean. People from all over the world would flock in to visit the beautiful caribbean Island. As Haitians, we have always been proud of our history. We have always been a people that cherish the gift of freedom.

We fought for it with all our might and we kept the pace. Regardless of our difficulties, Haiti remains a beacon of hope, pride and freedom. Many have criticized us for the way things are. However, it's fair to say that although we must accept full responsibility for our economic and social status, outside circumstances have also played a major role.

We cannot lose hope and give up. In the past, we have found ways to solve our issues. There are generations yet unborn that will show up with incredible solutions. Come to think of it, right now, there's a generation coming up who may offer us a better way to steer our great country to economic recovery.

Life itself is cyclical. Just like the earth shifts its position so often, our beloved country is capable of shifting itself in the right directions. Oh, there's no doubt that it is going to take Haitians to facilitate that shift. But God is on our side. He will give us a little nudge to carry on. And so, all Haitians living on this planet should never, ever give us. Better days are ahead of us.

Let's march on!

Wes Lafortune

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A Little History About Haiti

1804: Independence
Freed blacks and mulattos joined with slaves under the leadership of Jean Jacques Dessalines against Napoleonic France in 1801 to achieve the Caribbean's first successful revolution for independence. The largely black nation remained isolated politically throughout the 19th century, though penetrated economically by international capitalism.

1915-1934: U.S. Occupation
Main article: United States occupation of Haiti (1915-1934)

From July 28, 1915 until mid-August 1934, Haiti was under the occupation of the U.S. Marine Corps, effectively making Haiti a colony in all but name. Efforts were made to improve Haiti's infrastructure and education systems in particular, but because of the imposed nature of these reforms, with little regard for Haitian customs or traditions, these generally were not well-received nor especially effective.

The Rise of Duvalier
A medical doctor, François Duvalier was not allowed to establish his own practice due to racist customs in Haiti. After securing employment with an American medical project that was fighting widespread tuberculosis, Duvalier had the opportunity to see the poverty that existed in the countryside.

This fueled his interest in politics, and despite the fact that the Haitian government was predominantly mulatto, Duvalier was able to gain a following and joined forces with powerful union leader Daniel Fignole. Together they formed the popular Mouvement Ouvriers Paysans (MOP) party. They continued to gain public support and waited for their moment to seize power.

Both men wanted to take the top job of President, therefore the party was split and in 1957 Fignole became president of Haiti. His position lasted only 18 days, however, because Duvalier was able to overthrow him and began what was to become a 29-year dynasty. ==> More Haiti Info