The tragic events of the past week have sparked a conversation about the historical ties and emotional bond many African-Americans feel towards Haiti and its people. And with the call for assistance growing stronger each day, some African-Americans are beginning to evaluate the roll they might play in the recovery.
via the Chicago Tribune:
by Oscar Avila
Many African-Americans feel a historic debt to Haiti, where a slave revolt led to the founding of the world's first black republic in 1804. Complicated issues of race also lie behind Haiti's enduring poverty and unrest over the next two centuries, they say.
"We always took pride in the heroism of the Haitians," said the Rev. Jesse Jackson in an interview, noting that Haiti was the first country to end slavery in the hemisphere.
"Whether you are from Haiti or South Carolina, we're just a boat stop apart, part of the same diaspora," he said.
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