Lecture 23: Haitians

I.  Independence 1804: only success slave rebel;recognize—France 25 yrs,US 60+ yrs

            Before:maybe richest colony in world,France estab.1665;40K whites,452K slaves

            U.S. Invasion 1915:oust Germans,control finances; treasury gold go NY; to 1934

II.  Immigration:  400,000-500,000 settled in U.S.—NY,Miami,Boston,Chicago, Phily

            A. 1st: start en masse @1950s,elite,mid class flee Duvalier to NE U.S., later W-C

            B. 2nd:boat people:start 1972,climb to 25,000in1980 (700 mi trip),take10-14 days

1.      males: unskilled work, esp. fieldcropping, some repair work in Haiti

2.      women:petty commerce in make-shift stands, flea markets,door/door

3.      average eduction:  less than elementary school, 5% high school grads

4.      85% settle in S. Florida: remaining 15% NY and New Jersey

            C.“Boeing People”educated come by plane;most in Miami fromNE:Montreal,NY

1.      occupations:  establish businesses, toehold in law enforce, educ, med.

a.       In Miami: dispersed in Middle Class neighborhoods, @20,000

            D.  Little Haiti in Miami: settle Edison-Little River area, poverty-stricken zone

1.not economic enclave: too small to support countrymen,no wholesalers

a.       formal sector: over 400 Haitian-owned companies in 1990s

b.  middle class:no buy from/hire,don’t want mistake boat people

2.informal econ:childcare,restaurants,unlicensed taxi,repair,construction, in part because explicitly rejected by formal economy

3. Bifurcate:most seg assim Ebonics,ghetto;Mclass keep pride,ed achieve

III .  INS Rejects Asylum Claims/Due Process: since 1970s, yet Haiti persecutes

A.     bad image:  illit., poor, drain resource, 70’s-many fired due to Tuberculosis rumor, ‘80s—risk HIV by CDC,‘90s Food/Drug Admin. bans blood donations

B.     Collectively denied refugee status:  INS labels economic and not political,

C.     Mariel Crisis: transport to Krome in Everglades swamp,poor santitation

D.    1980s Reagan:1.halts resettlement undocumented,2.interdiction stops arrival

a.       interdiction:Coast Guard intercept 1981,interview on ship,force return

b.      over 10 years:  28 of 25,000 Haitians interviewed given pol. Asylum!

c.       Dubious distinction: highest rejection rate of pol. Asylum applicants

E.     1990s go Guantanamo: 9/91-3/92, 34,000 detained,2/3 repatriate,1/3 asylum

a.       Bush Kennbunkport Order: all back,no hearing when interdict at sea

b.      Bias:test for HIV,unlike Cubans; HIV+ sent Camp Bulkley—mistreat

H.  Clinton:  attacks repatriation policy in campaign, but continues when Pres.

IV Haitian/Black Amer. Conflict: blacks see immigrant make-it mentality & control destiny suspiciously;blacks seen as fatalistic, blame whites,inferiority complex,underclass

V.Religion:¾ attend church weekly(>all immigrant groups),@40% Prot,@all Christian

            A.  Voodoo:  majority in U.S. do not believe, although traditional religion of Haiti

            B.   Black magic,zombies (dead returning life):not essence Voodoo; use spirits to harm others is similar to Satanism in Christianity; animal sacrifice sim Xmas Turkey

            C.  Voodoo vilified: justify U.S. slavery after 1804, legitimizes 1915 invasion.

            D. Vodoo both Catholic/African:appeal spirits (ancestors),like Saints; tongues

VI. Creole Language: vocab. mostly from French;grammar dif.; 5-10% speak French

            A. ethnic marker:all speak,but upper class may disdain;French is power lang

            B. informal lang: of intimacy,humor,& via proverbs,wisdom of lower class

            C. Noireiste movement: 1920s&30s leads to an official language in Haiti in 1987