Discrimination

In the 1930s, US invaded Haiti and introduced a racist policies carried out by U.S. Marines. An overall preferential but still racist treatment of Haiti's Mulato elite. During and after the American occupation in Haiti, a movement started that turning the intellectual class toward a greater appreciation of blackness, African culture. Francois Duvalier campaigned on this political ideology Noirism or Negritude Movement

"Noirisme Ideology" was defined by Matthew J. Smith (2004) as an ideology "which advocated total control of the state apparatus by black representatives of the popular classes." It is a form of political and cultural ideology that grew out of indigenism (ideologies associated with indigenous peoples), which in turn was a reaction to the American occupation of 1915 to 1934, and until the 1940's when Haiti gained back the control of its national bank. Although "color politics" were an integral part of Haiti's political scenery long before the arrival of the Marines, their presence served to strengthen the problem. During this period of U.S occupation, Haiti put an end to the Franco-German control of the Haitian economy and permanently shifted towards the U.S. However, Smith himself considered this as incomplete definition unless Occupation and post-Occupation scenarios in Haiti are considered and factors like radical, psychological, cultural, ethnological and political ideologies are taken into account.

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Here is the winning logo for Nou tout sanble, menm lè nou diferan

On Monday, December 21, 2015, as part of the second civic education campaign, Nesmy Manigat, the Minister of National Education, launched the music and literary contest "Nou tout sanble, menm lè nou diferan" in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Civic Action. The music and literary competitions and a DJ contest at the national level was launched in the presence of several artists such as, Roosevelt Saillant aka "BIC" Eunide Édouarin aka "Princess Eud "and K-Libr. At the first phase of this initiative, Neyssa T. Demorcy (17 year old), a student of the Institution of the Sacred heart of Turgeau won the competition logo placed in the framework of the campaign "Nou Tout Sanble, menm lè nou diferan", defeating five other competitors. The first phase of the competition started in October 2015. The objective of the program was to incorporate values among the youth so that they understand the value of togetherness, respect and search for excellence.

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Here is a picture of a help wanted ad posted by company Pennysaver with the sign: "No Haitians Need Apply.

An innocent looking 'help wanted' classified has sparked a torrent of outrage because it was a blatant form of discrimination towards the Haitian community. Interim Healthcare Inc., a Florida-based healthcare company has published an advertisement on October 15, 2015, which says, "Laid back nurse, no haitians, must have strong respiratory mngt". The advertisement was published in the Rockland County Penny saver newspaper, in an area with one of the highest concentration of Haitian population in the country. According to Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, the advertisement has violated federal and state civil rights laws because it clearly prohibits discrimination in hiring on the basis of national origin. After an outrage among local politicians as well as the Haitian American Nurses Association, an apology has been received from the president Katherine McNally on Monday, October 19, 2015.

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New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman launches inquiry into 'no Haitian' nurses ad.

As per the Daily News dated October 19, 2015, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, a member of the Democratic Party, has launched an inquiry into the nature of an advertisement published by Interim Healthcare Inc. of Nanuet on the October 15, 2015, issue of 'New City Pennysaver'. The Interim Healthcare Inc., had published a help-wanted advertisement on the above mentioned issue for a nurse that goes like: "Laid back nurse, no haitians, must have strong respiratory mngt,... The Attorney General believes, the advertisement has violated federal and state civil rights laws, because the law clearly prohibits discrimination in hiring on the basis of national origin. If the Attorney General is satisfied with the gravity of charges, would frame the said home care, hospice and medical staffing company in charges of discriminatory practices.

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Here is a picture taken from a Quebec elementary school textbook that the Haitian community called racist material.

Some members of Montreal's black and Haitian communities have reported that a French Textbook (Ardoise grammar book), meant for Grade 3 and 4 students contains racist material and it should be withdrawn from the curriculum. They consider the book as racist because no other perspective of Haiti has been presented to the kids in the book, but it describes poverty, ignorance and backwardness of the Haitian community. The controversial part of the textbook is a story of an 11-year-old small girl from Haiti, named Fancia who does daily household chores of a woman. She lives in a Haitian community of poor and black people where doing daily chore is a normal practice, but hope to get educated is nothing but an absurd dream of a small girl. The given description could be an individual instance, but never a describing representation or a part of children education.

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Here is a picture of the Haitian Security Guard Camelia Joseph who brought lawsuit against Walt Disney World for discrimination.

As per news report dated September 4, 2015, a Jury in Orange County has found that Camelia Joseph, a security guard with Haitian background working at Walt Disney World for the last twenty years, has become a victim of workplace discrimination by the employer as she was deprived of a promotion which she deserved. In a lawsuit, she had mentioned that she had applied for a job of an emergency coordinator in 2010, but she was discriminated for her colored Haitian background-- the position ultimately went to a white man with less experience and qualification. The jury has found that Camelia's claim of discrimination was correct; she was discriminated because of her national origin. However, since her application was not properly processed, the jury is unsure whether she could really qualify to get the position and consequently they could not offer any compensation or award to Camelia. However, Walt Disney World has maintained about their claim for a longstanding policy against workplace discrimination.

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Frantz St. Fleur a resident in Toronto Canada, wants to teach his real estate broker and the police they will never forget. He is currently suing them for racial profiling

Toronto man Frantz St. Fleur alleges he was a victim of racial profiling in the case of his April arrest for fraud after trying to cash a check at his long-time bank. St. Fleur went into the Scotiabank branch he'd used for ten years to cash what he says was a refund check of $9,000 for a condo deposit, as the development project had fallen through. He was questioned in a private office before being left there for the police to arrive and arrest him. St. Fleur now sues the police, his real estate broker, and the bank for $250,000.

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Here is a case most Haitians who work in the United states or in other countries are very familiar with. A Haitian nurse is bringing a lawsuit to Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Centre on Long Island for not taking action against ongoing discrimination against her. Diana St. Gerard, who worked in the mental health unit at Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Centre claims that white staff are allowed to discriminate against her, saying that she practices Voodoo and is involved in Black magic because she is Haitian.

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When Nelson Mandela joined the African National Congress and joined forces against the apartheid movement of the ruling party, he actually believed in non-violence. However, later he joined forces with South African Communist Party. It is then that he co-founded the Umkhonto we Sizwe - a militant group. The group was founded in 1961 and was responsible for bombing government targets. Nelson Mandela was once against arrested in 1962 under the convictions of sabotaging government property and for conspiring the overthrowing of the ruling government. In Rivonia Trial, Mandela was sentenced for life imprisonment.

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