Many articles and a lot of information portray Haiti as a poverty-ridden country plagued by political instability. While the Caribbean country does have its problems, its current situation shouldn’t mask its powerful history.
Here is the story behind how a country fought and won against its oppressors and what essentially stunted its rise to greatness.
How Haiti Became the First Free Black Republic
Haiti is part of the Caribbean island previously known as Hispaniola, which includes the Dominican Republic. The island’s name comes from the Indigenous Taíno-Arawak term Ay-ti, meaning “land of mountains.” When the Spaniards invaded the land, many of the local people were killed by disease.
Because the land was rich in coffee, sugar, and cotton, enslaved Africans were brought over to cultivate the land beginning in 1570. Like the story of many enslaved Africans, the treatment of the people was horrendous. Eventually, the Spaniards moved out of Hispaniola, and the French and the British invaded the island.
Present-day Haiti was known as Saint-Domingue, one of the wealthy colonies of France because it exported cocoa, cotton, sugar, indigo, and coffee. The population grew exponentially. By 1789, Saint-Domingue had an estimated 500,000 enslaved Africans, 32,000 European colonists, and around 24,000 free mulattoes who were people of mixed races of African and European descent.
After years of enslavement, a historical event happened in August 1789 that would influence the course of Haiti’s history. The French Revolution initiated the Declaration of the Rights of Man, passed in France. It claimed, “In the eyes of the law, all citizens are equal.” While the French tried to keep this from the colonies, word spread and initiated a fire of hope for enslaved Africans.
Since plantation owners decided not to honor the declaration regarding enslaved people, those who were enslaved decided to take matters into their own hands. A change started to take effect in 1790 when Vincent Ogé led a group of mulattoes in an attempt to establish suffrage from a National Assembly ruling. These revolts planted the seeds for what was to come next.
The revolution erupted in August 1791, and the first organized Black rebellion had begun. The uprising began in the northern colonies, where plantations were destroyed and white plantation owners were killed. The Black military was organized and strong.
Led by rebellion leaders Cristophe, Dessalines, Francois, Jeannot, Toussaint, Biassou, and Boukman, the fight for freedom took over 12 years to achieve. The treacherous struggle demonstrated enslaved people’s commitment and determination to liberty. The rebellion would also cost hundreds of thousands of lives, yet Black people banded together until they ultimately reached success.
The nation won its independence in 1804, and the colony was renamed Haiti. On that day, Haiti became the first free Black republic in the world, the first independent state in the Caribbean, and the second independent state in the Western Hemisphere following the United States.
Although Haiti’s victory was monumental and inspiring, it became something the colonizers feared would spread through other colonies.
Viewing Haiti Through the Right Lens
Now that I’ve explained the essential details of Haiti’s past, you may wonder what happened to such a mighty nation. I was wondering that, too. Depending on who you ask, you might get a different answer.
The most irrational answer I discovered was that the Haitians made a deal with the devil to gain their freedom. I am not making this up. According to an article in the Washington Post, one X user wrote: “Reminder that the Haitian rebels made a deal with a demon (potentially Satan himself) to gain their independence, Haiti’s endless suffering is simply the devil collecting payment.” Whether you’re superstitious or not, this explanation seems far-fetched, mainly since Voodoo focuses on connection with nature and ancestors and does not speak to evil entities.
The truth is that what led Haiti into a crisis was not some evil pact but a political act. First, the European powers and the United States made a juvenile move and refused to recognize Haiti as a nation. This meant trading and other international dealing that would happen to help stabilize the economy didn’t exist. Furthermore, the powers that be made another underhanded move, promising that Haiti would be recognized if they paid France back.
Yes, France dared to ask for money to cover the loss of property and other damage that occurred during the revolution. France wasn’t shy when asking for money. They demanded ten times Haiti’s annual government revenue at the time, approximately 150 million francs.
There was also the U.S. Occupation in 1915. U.S. soldiers were originally sent to help stabilize the government but instead stayed for 19 years and created a system of exploitation. Troops inflicted hard labor that led to the death of thousands of Haitian farmers.
The occupation was then over, but U.S. troops had set a bad example for those who rose to power. Haitian leaders continued to use the U.S. system to control and manipulate the Haitian people. Large chunks of land were sold to American companies, and the people of Haiti continued to suffer.
As Edwidge Danticat, a Haitian-American writer, put it on the 100-year anniversary of the invasion, “We’re still waiting for our real freedom.”
Haiti’s young but mighty nation has been stuck between a rock and a hard place. In addition, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake devastated Haiti in 2010, with its epicenter 25 kilometers away from the most densely populated area, Port-au-Prince. Over 1.5 million people were displaced.
What’s Happening in Haiti now?
For the past decade, Haiti has been overrun by gang violence, and now that violence seems to have reached a new level. According to U.N. officials, gangs currently control around 80% of the capital. Prominent gang leader of the group G9, Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier, has been joining forces with other gangs in an attempt to force Prime Minister Henry out of power.
Currently, Americans and Haitian Americans are returning to the States. However, many people are struggling to leave behind their family members who don’t have U.S. passports. Many Haitian Americans are constantly living in fear and worry over what will happen to their families on the island.
While it can be easy to pass judgment on horrendous situations, we must remember that Haiti is a country where the taunt of freedom has been held over its head. The country’s future may be uncertain, but we must remember the influence and power that led to most of this violence and destruction. When Haiti saw a glimpse of freedom, any hope was taken from them, and as a result, the country was left in disarray.
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