History of Haiti Zoltan Grossman

Colonized by French French ruled sugar plantations harshly in western half of Hispaniola. African slaves began speaking French Creole.

Only successful slave revolt, 1803 Haiti becomes independent under revolutionary leader Toussaint L’Ouverture

Poverty, instability, dictatorship No help from Europeans, Americans. Became poorest country in Western Hemisphere

Poverty, instability, dictatorship Desperately poor Haitians chop down trees; deforestation can be seen on border Haiti Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic HaitiHaiti

U.S. Marine Occupation Fought rebels from 1915 to 1934

U.S. Marine Occupation Marine Major General Smedley Butler, 1933 “ War is just a racket…. I spent most of my time being a high class muscle- man for Big Business, for Wall Street and for the Bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster ….I helped make Mexico… safe for American oil interests in I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefits of Wall Street. …. Looking back on it, I feel that I could have given Al Capone a few hints.”

Duvalier Dictatorship “Papa Doc” 1957 “Baby Doc” 1971

Duvalier Dictatorship “Tontons Macoutes” voodoo-following death squad

Duvalier Dictatorship Rawlings made nearly all baseballs in Haiti until (Workers made $1,300/year)

1986 Revolution “Baby Doc” Duvalier ousted, but 4 years of military dictatorship & refugee crisis

1990 Election of Aristide Catholic priest Jean-Bertrand Aristide, supported by the poor

1991 Military Coup Aristide ousted by Haitian military; Duvalier’s thugs return for revenge on poor; enormous numbers of Haitians leave by boat (many died at sea)

1980 = Economic Migrants = Sent Home Late 1980s-Early 1990s = Refugees = Asylum Today = Economic Migrants = Sent Home Changing Status: Haitian Boat People

1994 Intervention U.S. forces intervene to return democratically elected Aristide to office.

1994 Intervention Aristide disbands military (thugs remain free); but he did not have much power to change society

2000 Election After interim leader Ren é Pr é val ( ), Aristide elected again. Opponents accuse of corruption, violence, vote-rigging.

2004 Rebellion U.S. denies World Bank aid package to Haiti. Former military soldiers & thugs team up with some former Aristide followers to fight his police.

2004 Rebellion U.S. does not back up democratically elected leader, but asks him to leave to avoid bloodbath. Rebels celebrate his departure.

2004 Intervention U.S. Marines land again, along with French & Canadians. Will thugs again seek revenge, and trigger a new refugee crisis? U.S. Coast Guard blocking refugees.

Aristide ally re-elected, 2006 Brazilian UN “peacekeepers” raid Cit é Soleil, other Lavalas communities; Left criticizes Lula Privatization proceeds, coupled with oil price hikes Ren é Pr é val Government

Massive Food Riots, April 2008