Haiti Flag

Haiti Flag

Haiti Flag

History Of The Haitian Flag:

For a Haitian citizen, the national flag of Haiti is indisputably a symbol of general pride. Haitians would consider any offense to their Haitian flag to be an offense to their country. Consideration the history of the Haitian flag, its origin say a lot about the nation’s social make-up. Haitians therefore, are particularly emotional about the Haitian flag and even reserve a special day to honor it. That day is May 18th. In Haiti, Flag Day is a major national holiday celebrated in Haiti with great fanfare on the grounds of the National Palace and all cities in the country; also in other countries with a large number of Haitians. Buy  Haitian Flags Here

On August 21, 1791 the Haitian Revolution began its struggle against the French occupation. From 1791 to about 1793, the revolt became more widespread and gave rise to a number of large groups still fighting independently. In those times, each main leader would use any piece of cloth as a flag. Slowly the slave movement found some synergy and came to follow the leadership one main person: Toussaint L'Ouverture  had led his whole war with the French tricolor: blue, white and red flag. After the capture of Toussaint L'Ouverture , Jean-Jacques Dessalines had taken up the torch in 1802 with the same color flag, but with a slight difference: the general had simply removed the French rooster and the initials RF République de France which at that time were found on the white band of the flag of the French Republic.

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At that time, an original Haitian flag was not yet created. The fact that the rebel army was carrying a French flag was presented by the press of the time under the title of "Proclamation." The headquarters of the French army in Saint Domingue pretended that this tricolor flag, carried as a rallying sign by the indigenous army, was proof that the insurgents were not fighting for the independence of Saint Domingue but only to keep their liberty, just like the French of the home land, a liberty that the First Consul, the dictator Napoleon Bonaparte wanted to take from them.

During the famous battle in the Cul-du-Sac, a plain not far from Port au Prince, on December 1, 1802, Alexandre Sabès Pétion  confronted the colonial troops of Gilbert Gérard.

This confrontation was not successful to rebel army and in the course of retreat, the rebel army lost the tricolor flag which was quickly seized by the enemy as a prize of war. This served to reinforce the determination of Pétion about the necessity for the rebels to have their own standard.  In February 1803, when Pétion happened upon this newspaper which contained the story of his flag lost during the battle of December 1, he raced to get the newspaper in question to the headquarters of Jean-Jacques Dessalines, the commander in chief, in Petite-Rivière in the Artibonite; he carefully explained the affair in detail and took the opportunity to advise the commander-in-chief that the revolutionary army urgently needed to adopt a different flag. Get a Souvenir Flag of Haiti

Dessalines immediately reacted to Pétion's recommendation. He grabbed a red, white and blue flag, and with a sharp jerk, ripped the white stripe to pieces and joined the blue and red together, making the first Haitian flag, symbolizing the union against the colonialist, pro-slavery France. That is how the famous national bicolor was born between the end of February and the beginning of March 1803.

Pétion wanted to hold a big meeting with all the high ranking officers where this new flag would be adopted after debate. This would consolidate this symbol of symbols for which the people had been ready to die. Pétion finished by convincing Dessalines and his principal lieutenants, in particular his private secretary and confidant Boisrond Tonnerre, to hold a major meeting during May in Arcahaie. Flag of  Haiti Available Here

This meeting, known as the Congress of Arcahaie, was set for May 14 to 18, 1803; the agenda had two essential points: the establishment of a united command of the revolutionary army under the supreme authority of Jean-Jacques Dessalines, and the adoption of a flag by the indigenous army. The two principal leaders at this time, Dessalines and Pétion, jointly drew up this agenda. On May 14, 1803, military delegations flocked to Arcahaie; only a few of them were from the South. The principal heads of the insurgency did answer the call. The Congress was opened by Dessalines and Pétion May 15, 1803, on the Mérotte plantation.  The two men focused on the military situation, insisting on the need for all forces rebelling against the enemy to unite so that victory would be more rapid and decisive.  

Curiously, there was not a word about the new Haitian flag; priority was put on new strategies and tactics to thwart the colonial army and also to select a Commander of the insurrection army. Dessalines was appointed general-in-chief of the insurrection army. Click here to view a list of Flag of Haiti dealers all over the world.

The question of the new Haitian Flag came up on the last day, May 18. The new Commander General suggested the old slogan "Live Free or Die" be replaced by "Liberty or Death." The debate over the proclamation of the creation of a new Haitian flag lasted a whole day. It was only in the evening that the Congress of Arcahaie definitively adopted the new Flag of Haiti. The Haitian flag was created using the French flag as a model. They eliminate the white stripe, and place the remaining red and blue bands horizontally. The removal of the white stripe symbolizes the abolition of the White Man's control and the union of blacks and mulattoes in Haiti. The arms are composed of a cabbage palm surmounted by the Phrygian cap of liberty and ornamented with trophies with a banner across the bottom saying "L'Union Fait La Force" (Union Makes Strength.

By this gesture, They publicly designated that this country no longer wanted to be recognized as a French territory and that the people who lived on this land preferred to be dead rather than be slaves. "Liberté ou la Mort!" meaning "Liberty or Death" had become the new motto as it had already been embraced at the Vodoun ceremony known as "Ceremony of Bois Caïman" held on August 14, 1791. Haiti’s first flag was sewn by a lady named Catherine Flon at the Congress.  Flag Haiti List

The French troops were defeated during the Battle of Vertières (18 November 1803). Their capitulation allowed the proclamation of Haitian independence on 1 January 1804 Dessalines and Pétion's were among the leaders of the anti-French insurrection movement. African slaves lead a successful uprising to gain their freedom eventually forming their own country - Haiti. Dessalines, who had commanded the black and the mulatto forces during the final phase of the revolution, became the new country's leader. Haiti new flag is being raised proudly all over the country. The Following is a list of resources for Haitian Flag:

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Since May 18, 1803, the Haitian flag has known many changes in position or of color.

These two pieces of fabric have not stopped marking the legendary side of Haitian history all the same. Haiti flag is tightly linked to a history of struggle for freedom. Over the span of over two centuries, however, the country has never known a period free of tyranny, repression, political conflict, racial animosity, and economic hardship.

Jean-Jacques Dessalines became the new country's leader. On October, 8 1804 Dessalines was proclaimed emperor under the name of Jacques

 In 1805, shortly after Jean-Jacques Dessalines proclaimed himself emperor, the Haitian flag color was changed to black and red bands placed vertically respectively. He ruled under a dictatorial 1801 constitution.

 After the emperor's death, in 1806, the country will be divided into two republics for 14 years. Henri Christophe, in the northern part kept the flag that Dessalines used. In the south and the western part of the country.

From the time they rallied to the war for liberation, Alexandre Sabès Pétion nourished the idea of giving the indigenous army its own flag. Pétion went back to 1804's flag that was blue and red only this time he added the white squared portion that included the country arms and the famous phrase "L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE", meaning that through unity we find strength. After the events of Pont Rouge (17 October 1806) when Dessalines was murdered, the empire was abolished and General Pétion, ruler of the south and west, re-established the blue and red flag.

The Haitian flag was once again modified from 1964-86 during the regime of the Duvalier  family. A black-red vertical bicolour was used from 1964 to 1986 during the dictatorship of the Duvaliers; the state flag was charged with the arms but the civil flag was plain. Note that the cap of liberty was omitted from the arms during this period.

On February 25 1986, after the fall of Baby Doc and the Duvalier regime, the Haitian flag was again changed to two equal-sized horizontal bands,  a blue one on top and a red one underneath.

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