Celebrating Haitian Heritage Month, May 2017 Department of Social Sciences Miami-Dade County Public Schools

Haitian Heritage Month, May 2017 Haitian Heritage Month is celebrated each May. This occasion gives our diverse community the opportunity to recognize and celebrate the many historic, social, and cultural contributions of Haitians to our community, nation, and world.

Haitian Heritage Month, May 2017 Haiti is a country in the Caribbean region. It covers the western third of the island of Hispaniola. The Dominican Republic covers eastern Hispaniola. Most of Haiti is mountainous, and the country's name comes from an Indian word that means ”high ground.”

Haitian Heritage Month, May 2017 Haiti’s official name in French is République d’Haiti. Its official name in Creole is Repiblik d’Ayiti. Both official names mean Republic of Haiti. Port-au-Prince is Haiti’s capital and largest city.

Haitian Heritage Month, May 2017 Christopher Columbus, an Italian navigator in the service of Spain, arrived at Hispaniola in 1492. His crew established a Spanish base in what is now Haiti. Later, French settlers developed Haiti into what was then the richest colony in the Caribbean.

Haitian Heritage Month, May 2017 Toussaint L’Ouverture (1743-1803) was a patriot, general, and political leader who helped end slavery and bring Haiti its independence from France. On Jan. 1, 1804, Haiti declared its independence from France. Haiti is the oldest black republic in the world. Haiti is also the second oldest independent nation in the Western Hemisphere. Only the United States is older.

Haitian Heritage Month, May 2017