"This is just the first step. We need to put Haiti on our agenda," said Fred Logon, a member of Black Voices. "In terms of the policy, we need a movement that will force the Obama administration to take a progressive approach to Haiti. I hope we can increase the importance of Haiti to the world at large. " "Haitians are very conscious for the need of education," [Leon Pamphile, Ph.D.] said. "The country is pretty much divided between city dwellers and countryside. If parents don't have money to pay for their children's school, there is no public school for them." "Americans have looked at Haiti as an example of what happens when Black men lead government," Pamphile said. "Haiti is always under the burden of having foreign loans, but now this is being forgiven."
1804-Jean Jacques Dessalines proclaims the independence of Haiti from France. The island nation, after the United States, becomes the second independent republic in the Western Hemisphere. The chief slogan of his independence speech was "Live free or die." The Haitian war of independence had actually begun in August of 1791. The leader and greatest hero ofthat war was a former slave who worked as a carriage driver - Toussaint L'Ouverture. As a general, L'Ouverture was comparable to, and in some respects superior to, America's [George Washington Carver] and France's Napoleon Bonaparte. However, under the ruse of discussing peace L'Ouverture was tricked into traveling to France where he died in prison in April of 1803. The Haitians nevertheless prevailed over the French under the leadership of Dessalines and he was able to declare independence on this day in 1804. 1
"I pray every day for someone to give me a tent. I have 5 children, including a 7 month-old. When it rains everybody gets wet," said Joceline Magloire, 37. "This situation is unbearable. I heard that a lot of people are collecting money on behalf of Haiti. Why don't they buy those tents and ship them to us here," she said angrily. "I am 8-month pregnant. I have to walk a long way and am not feeling well but I have to go there to try to find something to eat," [Marlene Duvernus], whose husband died in the disaster, told NNPA as she walked-her right hand holding her belly. "Otherwise, I am going to die," she said. "I am not sure whether I'll find food today. But if I find, I am not sure how I'll take it home. I hope somebody will help me," Duvernus said as she held a coupon distributed by the [Petion-Ville] Mayor Claire Lydie Parent. The World Pood Program says it has distributed food to nearly 500,000 people since the magnitude-7 earthquake devastated the Haitian capital and the southern provincial areas of Jacmel, Leogane and PetitGoave.
