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France & Spain End War with each other & divide Spanish colony Hispaniola
"In 1697, France and Spain ended a war with each other by dividing up the Spanish colony Hispaniola. Through the labor of enslaved indigenous and Black people, Saint-Domingue became the world's most profitable colony, exporting sugar, coffee and indigo." https://youtu.be/P2kbliq8AUc -
Haitian Revolution breaks out
The Haitian Revolution was a successful insurrection by self-liberated slaves against French colonial rule in Saint-Domingue. It ended in 1804 with the former colony gaining their independence. The revolution was the only slave uprising that led to the founding of a state which was both free from slavery and ruled by non-whites and former captives. It is now widely seen as a defining moment in the history of the Atlantic World. -
Battle of Vertieres
Jean-Jacques Dessalines, one of l'Overture's generals and himself a former slave, led the revolutionaries at the Battle of Vertieres on November 18, 1803 where the French forces were defeated. -
Haiti gains independence
On January 1, 1804, the entire island was declared independent under the Arawak-derived name of Haiti. -
Haiti forced to pay millions in "reparations" to France
"In 1825, Haiti was forced to pay millions of French francs to France in exchange for that country's recognition of its sovereignty." https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/25/reader-center/haiti-france-debt-payments.html#:~:text=In%201825%2C%20Haiti%20was%20forced,country's%20recognition%20of%20its%20sovereignty. -
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U.S. invasion and 19-year occupation of Haiti
"The United States Government's interests in Haiti existed for decades prior to its occupation. As a potential naval base for the United States, Haiti’s stability concerned U.S. diplomatic and defense officials who feared Haitian instability might result in foreign rule of Haiti." https://history.state.gov/milestones/1914-1920/haiti -
Haiti's President Jean Vilbrun Guillaume Sam is assisinated
His death plunged Haiti's democracy even deeper into turmoil and inspired U.S. President Woodrow Wilson to intervene. -
U.S. forces the election of new Haitian President Philippe Sudré Dartiguenave
Civil order in Haiti had completely broken down. Washington DC ordered them to find a suitable candidate for the presidency. Two names emerged, Rosalvo Bobo, who was the leader of an ongoing rebellion against the Guillaume Sam government, and Dartiguenave, then president of the Haitian Senate. After interviewing both men, Dartiguenave won the election in the Haitian Senate by a vote of 94 to 3 and was inaugurated on August 12,1915. -
Experts Haiti considered unsustainably overcrowded
According to the Guardian, "The former population of 3 million compared to a figure that now stands at 9 million. Some 80% of that population live below the poverty line. The country is in an advanced state of industrial collapse, with a GDP per capita in 2009 of just $2 a day. The unemployment rate is 75%. Foreign aid accounts for 30%-40% of the government's budget. There are 80 deaths for every 1,000 live births, and the survival rate of newborns is the lowest in the western hemisphere." -
"Papa Doc" steps into power
François "Papa Doc" Duvalier's regime is widely seen as one of the most corrupt and repressive in modern history. He exploited Haiti's traditional belief in voodoo to establish a personal militia, the feared and hated Tonton Macoutes, said to be zombies that he had raised from the dead. He was supported by the U.S. -
Hurricane Allen hits Haiti
A rare and extremely powerful Cape Verde hurricane that affected the Caribbean, eastern and northern Mexico, and southern Texas in August 1980. -
Hurricane Gordon hits Haiti
The natural disaster crossed Sud-Est département and the southern peninsula, causing flooding and approximately 2,000 deaths and disappearances -
Hurricane Georges
A powerful and long-lived Cape Verde Category 4 hurricane which caused severe destruction as it traversed the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, making seven landfalls along its path. -
Former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide flees the country
Aristide flees the country in February 2004 amid antigovernment protests that had turned into a full-scale rebellion. He left Haiti in political turmoil as United States officials beg him to return. -
Hurricane Ike strikes Haiti
It dropped torrential rainfall in Hispaniola on already saturated ground, leaving hundreds of thousands of people homeless and killing 76 people. In Gonaïves, the last bridge standing was washed away, slowing relief efforts and causing a deep humanitarian and food crisis in Gonavïes. -
The U.S. continues to scare away potential Haitian presidential candidates
President Obama's cabinet pressured a Haitian presidential candidate, Jude Célestin, to withdraw in 2010. -
7.0 magnitude earthquake strikes Haiti
The natural disaster taking the lives of about 220,000 people and displacing nearly 75,500 households - around 1 million people. Its epicenter was located near the town of Léogâne, Ouest department, approximately 15 miles west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. By January 24, at least 52 aftershocks measuring 4.5 or greater had been recorded. -
First outbreak of cholera ever confirmed in Haiti
Following the 2010 earthquake, the CDC discovered a large outbreak of the disease. They said, "At the time, this cholera outbreak was the worst in history, with over 820,000 cases and nearly 10,000 deaths." -
Hurricane Tomas hits Haiti
The first hurricane to strike Haiti after the catastrophic earthquake in 2010. The storm flooded one of Haiti's largest refugee camps. Tropical-storm-force winds buffed much of the region too, causing damage. By the evening of November 8, 20 people were confirmed dead and 30,000 people were in shelters. Overall 35 people were killed. -
Artistide returns to Haiti after 7-year exile
Following the devastating earthquake in 2010, Artistide returns to Haiti after seven years away to try and help politically and physically repair the country. He returned two days before a crucial presidential election, but did not do much to rectify any former wrong-doings. -
Hurricane Irene hits Haiti
A large and destructive tropical cyclone which affected much of the Caribbean and East Coast of the United States. -
Hurricane Sandy strikes Haiti
Tents and buildings all over Haiti in refugee camps were flooded, almost like what Hurricane Isaac had done earlier that year. Crops were also severely damage or destroyed all over Haiti, making the country sign an appeal for emergency aid. In Port-au-Prince, major damages occurred after flooding from heavy rains and it was reported that "the whole south part of the country is under water". Overall there was $780 million in damage and 56 deaths. -
Hurricane Matthew hits Haiti
The strongest storm to make landfall in Haiti since Hurricane Cleo, which struck in 1964. -
Hurricane Irma strikes Haiti
55,000 soldiers were deployed to the Dominican Republic to help with recovery efforts and by late September 7 the government had counted 2,721 damaged homes. In Haiti heavy rainfall caused up to one meter of flooding and mudslides which destroyed homes and crops. -
Hurricane Maria hits Haiti
At its peak around 60,000 people were without power. The heavy rainfall caused by Maria resulted in floods and mudslides, blocking roads and isolated 38 communities. Five people were killed in the Dominican Republic; four were killed when floods took them away and one was killed by a mudslide -
Hurricane Laura strikes Haiti
Four people were killed in the Dominican Republic, while 31 were killed in Haiti. Laura also caused more than 100,000 people to lose power in the Dominican Republic. Downed trees and flooding were reported in both countries. -
Haitian President Jovenel Moïse is assinated in his place of residence
Moïse's death sent Haiti into deeper political turmoil and allowed gang violence to spread freely throughout the country. Police told BBC News, "A group of mercenaries, most of them Colombians, was behind the attack, which they suspect a Haitian doctor of ordering as part of a plot to become president." While dozens of people have been arrested, the investigation has been slow and on-going as gang leaders continue to take over Haiti. -
Authorities confirm the return of cholera cases in the greater Port-au-Prince area in October 2022
Before October 2022, Haiti had gone more than 3 years without any reports of cholera cases. The CDC says, "As of November 7, 2022, the MSPP reported over 600 confirmed cholera cases and over 6,500 suspected cases in the greater Port-au-Prince area." -
Gang leader Jimmy ‘Barbecue’ Cherizier rises to power
Cherizier is a former police officer credited with leading several attacks and creating a confederation of gangs now called the G9 Family. The U.N. says he has toppled the country into “economic paralysis and humanitarian crisis.” Reuters reported that "Cherizier brands himself as a community leader filling the void left by the government, and acting for the better good of Haitian residents, claiming his gang looted several stores last year because they were hungry." -
Protests break out after Prime Minister announces $400 million fuel reduction
Protests break out in Haiti after the Prime Minister announces that the government will reduce some $400 million in fuel subsidies in efforts to increase revenue for social programmes. By the following day, barricades were put up throughout the country, prompting a nationwide shutdown, with the situation persisting in the capital for a full five days. -
Major gang blocks main fuel terminal
One of the largest gang alliances blocks Haiti's main fuel terminal. The siege lasted for over a week, despite concerted operations by the police over the weekend. -
United Nations officials declare the situation in Haiti a "Humanitarian Catastrophe"
“An economic crisis, a gang crisis, and a political crisis have converged into a humanitarian catastrophe. We must not lose hope, but rather combine our efforts to find a pathway to a better tomorrow,” said UN Special Representative Helen La Lime, speaking from the capital Port-au-Prince. Gang violence continues to disrupt daily life in Haiti, driving more than 20,000 people from their homes. -
Biden-Harris Administration Announces New Border Enforcement Actions
Part of this new initiative is Biden's Parole Program which allows 30,000 Haitian, Nicaraguan, Cuban and Venezuelan immigrants to enter the United States per month. View this article for more information on Biden's new immigration plan:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/01/05/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-new-border-enforcement-actions/