Haiti: The Heartbeat of Black Liberation By Alex Sharp
When most people think of Haiti they think of an impoverished country that faces many natural disasters. However, they don’t think of why it’s impoverished: it has suffered a history of colonial exploitation and has been paying off the debt of freedom, both financial and metaphorical, from its creation to the present. Haiti became the first free Black nation in 1804 during the Haitian Revolution. To free itself from French colonization, it had to pay over $20 billion as a debt over the next centuries. Ever since its formation as an independent country, it seemed like Haiti couldn’t catch a break. It dealt with multiple dictators, violence, and civil unrest (on top of the debt) that continue to this day. The current conversation is if the U.S. should intervene in Haiti, which is a recent topic because of the increasing instability. The Haiti Action Committee, which was formed in 1990, is an important voice in this conversation. Pierre Labossiere, who grew up in Haiti and remains deeply involved in the struggle, is a co-founder of the organization. They do demonstrations, webinars, and fundraisers to promote solidarity with Haitians. Haiti is important to the U.S. and all around the world because the struggles that Black people face in both countries are linked. If you stand by Haitian people you are essentially standing by the entire idea of Black Liberation.