By Rachel Kieffer
In mid- November, Haiti Cultural Exchange hosted Remembering the Revolution, a night of poetry, history and music at BLVD on Manhattan’s Lower East side. The event commemorated the 1803 Battle of Vertèires, against Napoleon’s forces in Saint Domingue just months before Haiti became the first Black Republic in the Western Hemisphere.
Rosemonde Pierre-Louis, the Deputy Borough President of Manhattan, encouraged efforts to promote development in Haiti in her remarks to the audience at the beginning of the evening.
Host Joel Dreyfuss, journalist and newly named managing editor of The Root kept the audience captivated with his anecdotes of growing up in Haiti.
The evening included poetry readings from Jean Elie Barjon, Cleopatra N. LaMothe, Jeanie Bogart, and Jen Celestin in English, French and Creole. Their readings reflected on the revolution in Haiti and their own personal revolutions of self.
Jean-Claude Martineau, poet and historian, gave an in depth background of the battle as well as commentary on Haiti’s struggle to maintain peace against forces of discrimination worldwide.
Kongo Band, a Haitian community musical group dedicated to promoting a better understanding of African-Haitian music, culture and history gave a lively performance that had audience members dancing at the foot of the stage.
The Vice-Chair of Haiti Cultural Exchange, Régine Roumain, gave closing remarks and the upcoming goals of HCX. The audience stayed at BLVD well into the evening celebrating.
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