2008 Woodie Awards
Brothers in Blood and Liberty
America's undeniable links to Haiti.
Brian Dean
Issue date: 10/19/05 Section: Opinion
As proud of our liberty as Americans tend to be, most are unaware of the extent to which other people contributed to making the country what it is today. This general ignorance compounds the plight of African-Americans whose closest connection to their ancestry lies unrecognized, just a few hundred miles from the tip of Florida. Haiti, the poorest nation in our hemisphere, deserves much more respect from her American neighbors.
During Haiti's final years as the French colony of St. Domingue, nearly 70 percent of the slaves there were African-born. Taken from the same areas, including most of the West African coast from Senegal to Angola, blacks in eighteenth century St. Domingue and eighteenth century America might have been brothers, sisters and cousins. Torn apart by slavery, these familial bonds were never to be repaired, but for African-Americans researching their heritage, it would be worthwhile to include Haiti when tracing steps back through time.
In October 1779, American forces accompanied by thousands of black volunteers from St. Domingue fought to take Savannah back from British control. They were unsuccessful, but these volunteers were fighting for America's freedom from British colonial rule even while their own friends and families were still enslaved. Would Americans today give thanks to the descendants of their black freedom fighters? Maybe, if they were taught the whole truth about their fight for liberty.
Eight years after Americans had finally won their independence, slaves in St. Domingue began the largest revolt in history. The Haitian Revolution, as history calls it, further legitimized the American Revolution as another struggle to end colonial rule. It set the stage for future revolutions throughout the Americas. It was also a contributing factor to the Louisiana Purchase. Defeated in the Caribbean, Napoleon was forced to abandon his ambitions for a French presence on the continent of North America.
But the Southern states didn't think highly of an entire nation of free blacks in their backyard, and thus began America's cold shoulder to the Haitians. To this day, the American people just haven't cared that much. The irony is that at the time, the South was deeply concerned about Haiti. For fear of revolutionary ideas spreading, they watched events in Haiti very closely until it became useless after the Civil War.
When President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was forced from power in February 2004, American attention waned within a few weeks. The U.S. State Department claims its policy toward the nation is to "foster and strengthen democracy" but indicates no intention of restoring the democratically elected leader.
Sadly, the inescapable bonds that tie America to Haiti continue to go unappreciated. American apathy toward all things foreign will ensure that. It's just a shame it has to happen to a nation so crucial to our existence. Perhaps if more Americans traveled abroad empathy for other nations would take hold.
 Media Credit: Jesus Ezquivel |
During Haiti's final years as the French colony of St. Domingue, nearly 70 percent of the slaves there were African-born. Taken from the same areas, including most of the West African coast from Senegal to Angola, blacks in eighteenth century St. Domingue and eighteenth century America might have been brothers, sisters and cousins. Torn apart by slavery, these familial bonds were never to be repaired, but for African-Americans researching their heritage, it would be worthwhile to include Haiti when tracing steps back through time.
In October 1779, American forces accompanied by thousands of black volunteers from St. Domingue fought to take Savannah back from British control. They were unsuccessful, but these volunteers were fighting for America's freedom from British colonial rule even while their own friends and families were still enslaved. Would Americans today give thanks to the descendants of their black freedom fighters? Maybe, if they were taught the whole truth about their fight for liberty.
Eight years after Americans had finally won their independence, slaves in St. Domingue began the largest revolt in history. The Haitian Revolution, as history calls it, further legitimized the American Revolution as another struggle to end colonial rule. It set the stage for future revolutions throughout the Americas. It was also a contributing factor to the Louisiana Purchase. Defeated in the Caribbean, Napoleon was forced to abandon his ambitions for a French presence on the continent of North America.
But the Southern states didn't think highly of an entire nation of free blacks in their backyard, and thus began America's cold shoulder to the Haitians. To this day, the American people just haven't cared that much. The irony is that at the time, the South was deeply concerned about Haiti. For fear of revolutionary ideas spreading, they watched events in Haiti very closely until it became useless after the Civil War.
When President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was forced from power in February 2004, American attention waned within a few weeks. The U.S. State Department claims its policy toward the nation is to "foster and strengthen democracy" but indicates no intention of restoring the democratically elected leader.
Sadly, the inescapable bonds that tie America to Haiti continue to go unappreciated. American apathy toward all things foreign will ensure that. It's just a shame it has to happen to a nation so crucial to our existence. Perhaps if more Americans traveled abroad empathy for other nations would take hold.
