- Haiti is the only free republic born of a successful slave rebellion. Also the first black republic. This is a special point of pride for Haitians. - A constant history of violence but NOT of poverty (for many years, in fact, Haiti was the richest European colony in the New World) Religion - Christian country: 80% Catholic, 15% Protestant

Haitian History and Culture: A Selection of Online Resources Marjorie Charlot Touro College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://touroscholar.touro.edu/tcl_pubs Part of the Caribbean Languages and Societies Commons, and the Library and Information Science Commons Recommended Citation Charlot, …

Haiti has a unique history for many reasons, a facet which contributes to its rich and dynamic culture compared to other Caribbean nations. It was the second country to become a republic in the Americas when it gained independence following a 10-year slave rebellion, making it the first republic in the world to be led by people of African-descent.

In the 1800s, the country exported wood, sugarcane, cotton and coffee, but by the 1960s, even the production of coffee, long the major export, had been all but strangled through excessive taxation, lack of investment in new trees, and bad roads. Recently, …

The last two decades of the 19th century were also marked by the development of a Haitian intellectual culture. Major works of history were published in 1847 and 1865. Haitian intellectuals, led by Louis-Joseph Janvier and Anténor Firmin, engaged in a war of letters against a tide of racism and Social Darwinism that emerged during this period.

Haiti has a complex, rich, fascinating, and tumultuous culture and history with stories of resistance, revolt, and instability. But one of the fundamental aspects of Haiti is its resilience. In spite of slavery, multiple coups, various occupations, and militarization, Haiti continuously fights to remain strong.