Throughout the year, UNESCO had organized many commemorative events in close cooperation with its member states" and governmental and non-governmental organizations, such as the launching of the research and information program "the Forgotten Slaves," an exhibit at the UNESCO's headquarters in Stockholm Sweden entitled "Lest We Forget: Triumph on Slavery," the Ceremony of the Award of Toussaint Louverture Prize, the International Conference on the theme "Issues of Memory: Coming to terms with the Slave Trade and Slavery," and the International Symposium on the Slave Trade Archives Project in Havana, Cuba, and so on. The worldwide, yearlong commemoration of the 200th Anniversary of the Haitian Slave Revolution Victory was very important for Haitians and Blacks all over the world. The 1791 revolution, which took place during the 18th Century, beside the American Revolution of 1774 and the French Revolution of 1789, was excluded for years from the pages of world history textbooks, despite its contribution to the abolition of slavery in the world.
On January 7, the Haitian Americans United, Inc. (H.A.U.) will hold its fifth Annual Haitian Independence Day Gala in Lombado's in Randolph starting at 7 p.m. The gala will honor Haiti's Founding Fathers, especially the General-Emperor Jean Jacques Dessalines, on the occasion, this year, of the 200th anniversary of his assassination in Port-au-Prince. The gala will also commemorate 202 years of the proclamation of Haiti's independence. In Providence, Rhode Island, the Haitian Independence Day was to be celebrated at the new Haitian Bicentennial Memorial Plaza in Roger Williams Park starting at 9 a.m. H.A.U., in collaboration with several other Haitian organizations, was to lay a memorial wreath at the foot of the second Haitian memorial in the United States.
New York: Cruising into History was the theme at a luncheon last Wednesday, hosted by editorial director of Essence Magazine, Susan Taylor onboard the Serenade of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean luxury liner. To commemorate Haiti's bi-centennial anniversary of independence, Ron Daniels, executive director of the Center for Constitutional Rights, developed the concept of Cruising into history. On August 12-21, 2004, `Cruising into History' will celebrate the 200th anniversary of Haitian Independence.
Just as dance forms originating from Saint-Domingue made their way into southern culture, religion also left its indelible marks. It is well documented that the Vodou religion in New Orleans began to blossom around 1800 with Sanite Dede, a free woman of color who arrived from Saint-Domingue. The Saint-Domingan Vodou priestess was replaced in 1820 by New Orleans's native Marie Laveau, who became legendary. Haitians were for the most part Catholic; their presence in the various U.S. cities where they settled gave rise to the establishment of a number of biracial congregations. In Baltimore, in 1829, four colored Saint-Domingan women--Elizabeth Lange, Marie Magdelene Baas, Marie Rose Boegue, and Marie Therese Duchemin--established the Oblate Sisters of Providence, the world's first Black religious community, and founded the School for Colored Girls.
Black nationalist Marcus Garvey, founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), emphasized the relevance of Haiti's historical past because Haiti was the land where the Negroes repelled the Whites and established an independent republic. In the same vein, writers of the Harlem Renaissance embraced Haiti's history and culture. Claude McKay's work, for example, is replete with tales of Haiti's heroic past. [Langston Hughes], perhaps the most central figure of the Harlem Renaissance movement, having read of "Toussaint L'Ouverture, Dessalines, King Christophe, proud Black names," made a pilgrimage to Haiti.
"We provide this venue as a linkage for Haitians throughout the diaspora," President of the Haitian Heritage Museum Eveline Pierre told The Miami Times. "It's about educating the public about the phenomenal contributions Haitian Americans have made as a people, which will create a legacy for future generations." "In the building's design, we want it to reflect Haitian designs, and for that we want community imput," said [Serge Rodrigue].
Traditional Maroon culture was, however, determined to be in need of safeguarding and protection because of several factors. Chief among these was the fact that transmission of traditional knowledge from elders to younger generations was not taking place on the scale it was used to and the fact that migration patterns saw large numbers of Maroon youth leaving the traditional sites of settlements. In response, UNESCO was petitioned to assist in safeguarding traditional Maroon culture in Jamaica, in particular, that of the Maroons of Moore Town, who were deemed to be the most remote. In November 2003, UNESCO declared the Maroon Heritage of Moore Town as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. This action facilitated the implementation of measures geared toward documenting, for posterity, traditional Maroon cuisine, language, the Kromanti play and the craftsmanship associated with the creation of tools and implements such as their unique Prentin drum, fishpots, spears and the abeng.
Bon Nouvel, Haiti's largest publication and oldest Creole magazine presented a historical overview of Haiti's flag in its May 2003 issue. To my surprise, there wasn't a so- called "creation" of the flag on May 18. There was rather a presentation that occurred during the month of May in a congress held in Arcahaie. Like Thomas Madiou, Haiti's renowned historian, Bon Nouvel did not write May 18 as the date of the presentation of the flag.
As I reflect on last year's political, social, and ecological events in Haiti and observing a future that looks dim for the younger generation, I want to take the same position that Dr. Rosalvo Bobo (1873-1929), a political leader, a physician, a researcher on herbal medicine, took at the eve of Haiti's centennial. I am not celebrating. Since January 1st is also a World Day of Peace, I would rather peacefully reflect on the following translation of Dr. Bobo's centennial speech addressed circa the end of 1903.
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the Windrush, Prince Charles, in collaboration with the Windrush Foundation, invited 30 of the surviving settler s, their friends and family and a whole host of stars and celebrities to a reception at St James' Palace last Thursday. Luminaries
