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Could a marriage between Célimène Dessalines and Alexandre Pétion spare the Emperor?

Could a marriage between Célimène Dessalines and Alexandre Pétion spare the Emperor?

The slave revolution in Saint Domingue (Haiti) could not have been possible without a union of Blacks and Mulatos in the island. After Haiti's independence, the leader of the revolution, Jean-Lacques Dessalines, had this great idea that his daughter could help bridge the gap between Alexandre Petion and himself by proposing that his daughter would marry Alexandre Petion, the Leader of the Mulato force who fought side by side with him. He also saw this as a way to bring both Blacks and Mulatos together.

Marie Françoise Célimène Dessalines was born on October 2, 1789. She was the daughter of Jean-Jacques Jacques I. Dessalines , the first Emperor of Haiti and Marie-Claire Happy Bliss GUILLAUME , Empress consort of Haiti. At the time, she was romantically involved with young Captain Chancy, a nephew of Toussaint Louverture.

It was reported that the marriage proposition between Marie Françoise Célimène Dessalines and Alexandre Petion was declined by Petion. He would later, according to some historians, take part of the assassination plot against Jean-Jacques Dessalines.

Could the marriage between Célimène and Pétion actually saved Emperor Dessalines' life?

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Jean Claude Duvalier and Prosper Avril - Haiti Independence 2014

Jean Claude Duvalier and Prosper Avril - Haiti Independence 2014

Here is a picture of former presidents Jean Claude Duvalier and Prosper Avril participating at the 2014 Haiti Independence day on January first in Gonaives. The invitation was extended to all former presidents. However, only two showed up at the ceremony. Former President Jean bertrand Aristide who is in Haiti did not attend the ceremony.

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Maison de Marchandage de Café à Jacmel

Maison de Marchandage de Café à Jacmel

Jacmel is the most beautiful city in Haiti. Within a French Colonial architectural ambiance it is an art center on the island's southern coast and one of the main tourist destinations in the country that suffered greatly in the last devastating earthquake.

Its beautiful buildings and streets were turned into heaps of rubbles. The students of 'Cine Institute of Jacmel' have uploaded a footage of the damage on their institute's website. 'Fosaj' (Fanal Otantik Sant D'A Jakmel) another art school in the city, well known exporter of their paintings is having hardly any business because of ongoing political instability and economic dip. However, Fosaj is considering some rejuvenating plans to come out of the crisis. Fosaj suffered some irreplaceable losses-- Flo McGarrell, a 36-year-old American artist and director of the institute died in the earthquake.

They are reestablishing their links and connection through U.S and Europe to develop good market for art. Jacmel was the capital of funky art and carnival in Haiti; once it gets rebuilt it will become more important than ever.

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The Haiti Massacre of 1804

The Haiti Massacre of 1804

The Haitian, Perfect Ship, and Marlborough Ship Massacres were attempts to annihilate the mulatto elite and free African slaves. They occurred in 1804, 1758, and in 1752 respectively.

The 1865 Jamaican Morant Bay and The Malagasy Uprisings were fought against British and French oppressors. Morant Bay leader Paul Bogle and his comrades torched the Court House, taking over the city. Malagasy Black Nationalist Freedom Fighters brought down French Prime Minister Paul Ramadier.

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Haiti History

Haiti History

In Haiti's early history, following the exploration of Christopher Columbus in late 1492 and the genocide of the Haitian Arawaks under the rule of the Spanish, the nation was known as Saint-Dominique, a colony of France. Then, in 1791, a slave population numbering nearly a half million staged an uprising led famously by Toussaint l'Ouverture which could not be completely quelled by the efforts of France's Napoléon Bonaparte and swelled to triumph in 1804 with Jean-Jacques Dessalines at the helm.

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Haiti History

Haiti History

Haiti's families and history date back to 1842 when Christopher Columbus found an island in the region of the West Atlantic Ocean. This would later become the Caribbean. Even though there were already natives present, Columbus claimed the island now shared by Haiti with the Dominican Republic for Spain. He named the island the Spanish Island which later became Hispaniola.

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Michel Martelly Celebrating 2010 Anniversary Haiti Independence

Michel Martelly Celebrating 2010 Anniversary Haiti Independence

Here is a picture of President Michel Martelly arriving in Gonaives to Celebrate the 2010 Anniversary Haiti Independence. Several dignitaries were present at the ceremony, including Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe, Senator Simon Dieuseul Desra and Deputy Jean Tholbert Alexis.

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Henry Christophe Citadelle Artillery Museum Ready for Tourist Season

Henry Christophe Citadelle Artillery Museum Ready for Tourist Season

Minister of Culture, Josette Darguste, and Maryse Noel, Ministry of Tourism Director General, helped launch the Citadelle Artillery Museum in November 2013.

The museum showcases an impressive collection of 18th century heavy artillery, cast in iron and bronze, and captured by the Haitian military during invasions by France, Spain, England, and Italy.

The Institute for the Protection of National Heritage funded the project. Its Director General, Monique Rosann, was also in attendance.

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Jean-Jacques Dessalines and Alexandre Petion

Jean-Jacques Dessalines and Alexandre Petion

Here is a picture of two Haitian leaders: Jean-Jacques Dessalines and Alexandre Petion. In public protest that took place in November 2013, the race issue cameback as the people protesting took their fight to the affluent city of Petion-Ville.

The anti-government protest became violent as those opposed to the demonstration threw stones and Police fired tear gas

As the protest took the turn to go to Petion-Ville, many stated that "Dessalines was visiting Petion".

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The Ark of Return Celebrates Triumph of Human Spirit

The Ark of Return Celebrates Triumph of Human Spirit

The Ark of Return is a design piece of sculpture that will be installed in the UN plaza in 2014.

The project is a representation of a slave ship and lone slave beside it, which symbolizes the journey of the transatlantic slave trade from bondage to freedom.

A memory piece, it invites viewers to reflect on what forces created the slave trade and were ultimately defeated by democracy.

The design will be hewn in shining white marble, emblematic of spirituality.

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