The Haitian Revolution and Black History
by Patrick Elie
and Aaron Lakoff and Leslie Bagg
February 05, 2006
CKUT Printer Friendly Version
EMail Article to a Friend
Patrick Elie is a long-time poltical and human rights activist in Haiti. While he is a chemist by trade, he is also someone who is passionate about his people and their history.
We spoke with Patrick Elie in Port au Prince about Haiti's history and the slave revolt in the context of Black History Month. Elie asserts that the Haitian revolution was not only a momentous event for Haitians, but for people all over the world in demonstrating that freedom, not slavery, was the natural state of humankind.
Elie elloquently makes the links between Haiti's distant past, and the current political situation, as imperialist forces are once again meddling in the country's affairs. Just like in 1791, Haitians are today embroiled in a struggle against racist imperialism and colonization. The characters and terms have changed, but the game largely remains the same.
Interviewed by Aaron Lakoff and Leslie Bagg
-->To download the audio version of this interview, visit:
http://www.radio4all.net/proginfo.php?id=16412Q: Haiti's history is all too often ignored in terms of its importance and significance. Can you talk about this history and what it means to you as a Haitian person today?
A: You're right to point out that Haiti's history was a momentous event, and an event that has significance, not only for black people, but for all of humanity. When the slaves revolted on mass in 1791, and after a long struggle against the French army, were able to proclaim Haiti's independence and the end of slavery, it was the first time that a whole people extended the notion of freedom to everybody. Not only that, they also demonstrated that slavery is the unnatural state, and freedom is the natural state of man.
Besides, it was not only an anti-slavery struggle. It was also a struggle for self-determination against colonialism and imperialism. I always say that the Haitians went beyond what, for example, the Marxists envisioned that the proletariat, by freeing itself, would free everybody. It was not the proletariat this time – it was even lower. It was the slaves, who were considered as chattel. The chattel actually stood up and demonstrated their humanity and thus freed everybody. In that sense, the whole world has a debt towards Haiti and the Haitian revolution.
Very few people realize what it took for people who were slaves, kept ignorant, and 60% of whom at the time of the uprising had been born in Africa. They knew of this country here only as a kind of concentration camp. It was a foreign and hostile land to them. I always say that it is something that is almost beyond comprehension that such an incredible feat could have been achieved. For those who are so often very harsh towards Haiti and the Haitian people, saying, “how come after 200 years after independence Haiti is still poor?”. I say without even going to the hostility that the dominant powers at the time (France, Great Britain, the USA) exerted against the new republic, all those colonies who had slaves were horrified by the Haitian revolution, and they wanted to contain it as much as possible. Don't forget that in Haiti, the slaves liberated themselves in 1794. In the USA, it wasn't until 1865. In the French colonies it wasn't until 1848. In Cuba and Brazil, it was even later. So the Haitians were at least 50 years in advance of the so-called “enlightened” countries of Europe.
Also, one has to realize that the Haitians started from zero. It's not the same as the other colonies like Canada or the USA where the Europeans who came to dominate these countries simply cut the ties with the mother country. They came in with all the advances and political structures. Haitians had to invent or try to reinvent from zero. So, truly, for Haitians this is the 3rd century, not the 21st, because we had to start from scratch. I think although nobody could be satisfied with the state of Haiti today, one should never forget it's only been 200 years.
more...
http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=55&ItemID=9669