Dr. Matthew Smith

Haiti holds great historical importance to the region for several reasons, not the least of which is its proud status as the first nation in the Caribbean to gain independence. It achieved this in 1804 following a hard-fought revolutionary war that began as a slave revolt.

Bloody Beginnings

Since those bloody beginnings the country’s history has been a source of controversy, misperception and neglect. Much of this is a result of the island’s confusing politics, which makes it difficult to study. Although landmark periods in Haiti’s history such as the Haitian Revolution, the Duvalier dictatorship and, more recently, the Aristide era, are familiar to many in the region, much is still unknown about Haiti’s political history. Dr. Matthew J. Smith, a historian of Haiti, in an attempt to remedy this neglect decided to research on one of the important yet lesser known turning points in the country’s political evolution: the post-occupation years between the end of the US marine control in 1934 and the rise of the brutal Duvalier dictatorship in 1957.

Dr. Matthew Smith’s Book: “Red & Black in Haiti”.
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Haiti’s Independence

In 1934 the republic of Haiti celebrated its 130th anniversary as an independent nation. In that year, too, another sort of Haitian independence occurred, as the United States ended nearly two decades of occupation. In his book Red and Black in Haiti, the first comprehensive political history of post-occupation Haiti, Dr. Smith argues that the period (from 1934 until the rise of dictator François “Papa Doc” Duvalier to the presidency in 1957) constituted modern Haiti’s greatest moment of political promise. This was a result of the strength of Haitian nationalism and the activism of political radicals who pushed for dramatic changes in Haitian society.

Red and Black in Haiti emphasizes the key role that radical groups, particularly Marxists and black nationalists, played in shaping contemporary Haitian history. These movements transformed Haiti’s political culture, widened political discourse, and presented several ideological alternatives for the nation’s future. They were doomed, however, by a combination of intense internal rivalries, pressures from both state authorities and the traditional elite class, and the harsh climate of US anti-communism. Ultimately, the political activism of the era failed to set Haiti firmly on the path to a strong independent future. It nonetheless, formed a template for the protest and rivalries that continue to mark Haitian politics.

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In building its argument, the book relies on a wide range of primary evidence, including Haitian, French and US sources (newspapers, memoirs, manuscripts, interviews with key figures of the era). These sources allow for a rich exploration of Haitian social and political life during those years. They were indeed exciting years for Haiti. A vibrant labour movement emerged and developed for the first time in the country’s history; various economic programmes, such as tourism, were introduced; Haitian culture and art expanded enormously; a new nationalism took hold of the country; and the Haitian population became more politicized. The book examines in detail this golden era in Haiti’s history, and explains why it was not sustained.

The story that Red and Black in Haiti tells is not unique to Haiti. Although the outcomes are different, the nature of post-colonial political competition in a Caribbean nation is quite familiar. In much of the region, decolonization brought with it the emergence of new leaders and ideas, each offering a different vision for the Caribbean. The post-occupation period in Haiti, between the 1930s and 1950s, not only defined Haitian politics, but also prefigured similar developments elsewhere in the region in later decades. Echoes of the Haitian situation can be found in the histories of its closest neighbours, particularly in the English-speaking islands after colonial rule ended in the 1960s and 1970s. The book also offers important lessons on how class, colour, race, and contesting ideas of leadership, influence political futures in the Caribbean. Red and Black in Haiti illustrates the great value of comparing our history with those of our often forgotten neighbours. In so doing, the book makes a strong claim that the integration of regional histories is critical in any project of regional co-operation.