May is Haitian Heritage Month

Le Flambeau Foundation , Inc., April 29, 2023

May is Haitian Heritage Month, a time during which we acknowledge and celebrate the countless contributions of individuals from the Haitian Diaspora to the U.S. and to our global communities.  This month-long celebration grew from the May 18th Haitian Flag Day which is a celebration of liberation that embodies the cultural heritage and resilience of the Haitian people.

Notable historic contributions made in the U.S. from individuals with Haitian heritage include Jean Baptiste Point DuSable, a Haitian fur trader who founded the city of Chicago (3rd largest in the US) in the 1780s, and the Chasseurs-Volontaires de Saint-Domingue made up of Haitian soldiers who fought for U.S. independence in the Siege of Savannah (*1779 – War of American Independence).  Today these contributions continue with the leadership of individuals with Haitian heritage at top educational institutions (e.g. presidents of Harvard, Xavier, and Rice Universities), and serving at the helm of numerous private and public sector entities – in the U.S. and globally.

Every day Haitian culture influences our living – from the food we eat, to the music we listen to, to the educational pathways we pursue, to the role models we are inspired by, to the contributions we collectively make.  At the root is our youth who carry forward our shared  legacy to even greater heights; with the right guidance, education and inspiration. Our youth is our heritage and our future.  Invest in them.