Haiti’s History and Ecological Factors Shaping Racial Experiences

1. Haiti→ historical events and ecological factors that influenced concepts and lived experiences of race a. AKA How history and technology affect culture 2. Same for the Dominican Republic 3. Influences on the relationship between DR and Haiti a. Historical influences 4. What did we learn about race The river boudarie - Speak spanish on the one side of the river// proud mixed race society (dominican) - Creole on the other// proud to be black (haiti) Dominican ● No statues of black figures ○ Even though 90% of dominicans are of africn american decendent ○ Dominicans refer to themselves as Indo ■ In denial of being black ■ Ashamed ○ When they thinkof their heritage, spain comes to mind. Not africa ■ Statues of white colonizers ● Or alter features to make them appear white ● Slaves were originally used for sugar plantations ○ Later those plantations were moved to spain ○ Cattle ranching instead ■ Master and slave ● They were still slaved but more equal in a way ● They would both ride horses, both wear machetes ■ After sugar plantations moved, so did white people ■ Dominican republic committed to the spanish crown ● Christian Haiti ● ● ● Proud of black history ○ Rooted in their struggle for independance Haitians were sent over because the wages were so low that dominicans didnt want to do the sugar plantation work ○ Became the new migrant workers ○ Did the jobs no one else wanted to do ■ Haitians were seen as inferior General Rafael Leonidas Trujillo ○ Dictator in the 1930’s ■ ● ● ● ● ● ● Ordered his troops to kill everyone of haitian decent on the west side of the river ■ 15,000 haitians died ■ Massacre river Haiti is very poor ○ Even before earthquake Statues of black men Creole is spoken ○ Partially based off of 18th century french but has strong characterisics from african languages 774,000 slaves were shipped to haiti during the slave trade Voodoo war/ massacre of french for independance ○ Haiti had to pay 1 billion ○ Put in great financial debt