14952: (Arthur) Cruising Into History: Crusading To Uplift Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Tttnhm@aol.com

Cruising Into History: Crusading To Uplift Haiti


By  Ron  Daniels
The Black World Today  Contributor
Article Dated 2/24/2003


As another Black History Month draws to a close, I am compelled to revisit one of the most significant and unheralded events in the annals of African people, the Haitian Revolution which produced the first Black Republic in the western hemisphere. Indeed, to pay tribute to this extraordinary event the Haiti Support Project, which I founded in 1995, is spearheading an ambitious effort to charter an entire cruise ship for a Pilgrimage to Haiti in 2004 to share in the commemoration of the 200th Anniversary of this remarkable human achievement (www.cruisingintohistory.org ).

At the height of the unfolding of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and the concoction of white supremacy as a diabolical ideology, freedom loving enslaved Africans rose up to defeat the awesome armies of the Spanish, British and the French (Napoleon Bonaparte) to found a Black Republic as a beacon of hope, promise and possibility for enslaved Africans everywhere. It was a bloody and decisive in-your-face refutation of the myth of white supremacy!

I return to this phenomenal triumph by our brothers and sisters from Haiti because it is critically important that we celebrate our collective history as African people as an act of self affirmation and overcome the myths and stereotypes that have been devised to stigmatize and breed self-hatred among our people. The perpetrators of racism/white supremacy/slavery/ colonialism/neo-colonialism, the oppressors have no intention of breaking the chains that they have wrapped around our minds and bodies. Boukman, Toussaint, Dessalines, Christophe, Petion and the Haitian masses did not wait for slave masters to free them. They took destiny into their own hands and decided to liberate themselves “by any means necessary!”

It is our duty, our sacred responsibility, to share in this commemoration/celebration, not as a nostalgic journey into the past but as means of continuing and intensifying the struggle for the liberation of African people in the 21st century. For all of its glory, the Haitian Revolution was constrained and sabotaged by France, America and their European allies in a calculated campaign to demonstrate that Black people cannot govern themselves. Despite the heroic efforts of the Haitian people, this conspiracy made it virtually impossible for the Revolution to achieve genuine self-determination, democracy and development. As with the rest of the African world in the era of European domination, Haiti was raped and “impoverished” – reduced to the “poorest nation in the western hemisphere.”

Hence our effort to charter a cruise ship for a pilgrimage to Haiti August 14-21, 2004 is more than a desire to have a delightful vacation experience; it is a crusade to uplift Haiti, a catalyst to focus attention on the beautiful, energetic, creative and courageous people of Haiti and to respectfully assist them to finish the unfinished Haitian Revolution in the 21st century. In the first instance, the cruise will be a major boost to tourism by introducing thousands of people to the cultural and historical treasures of Haiti as well as its natural beauty. Moreover, Haitian art and handicrafts are among the most prized in the Caribbean.

During the four-day visit, those who make the Pilgrimage will have an opportunity to mix and mingle with the people, purchase gifts, partake of the local cuisine and a rich variety of entertainment. There will be a significant injection of capital into the local economy from the cruise. Equally important, over the long haul, the positive experience will result in repeat visits to Haiti – just what the country needs to boost the economy in the coming years.

Beyond the obvious benefits of the cruise, however, there will a be concerted effort to identify Black organizations, associations and churches in the U.S. that are willing to support schools, health care clinics and civic engagement projects in Haiti. For example, Antioch Baptist Church North in Atlanta and the Georgia State Baptist Convention, under the able leadership of Rev. Cameron Alexander, has adopted a village of 7,000 people outside of Port Au Prince. They have built a school, health care clinic and a church. Their next project is to drill a well to provide a more readily accessible supply of fresh water. Haiti Madhubuti has pledged that the Betty Shabazz School in Chicago will adopt a school in Haiti, provide school supplies and develop a student exchange program.

Danny Glover, Ambassador-at-Large for this Initiative, has suggested the idea of organizing youth and students to form “Toussaint L’Ouverture Brigades” to work on projects in Haiti. Working collaboratively, the Oklahoma Health Care Project, Haitian American Ministries and Haiti Support Project are committed to building a community empowerment center in Cite Soleil, which will include a school, health care clinic and economic development project. These examples can potentially be replicated a hundred fold as a result of the education and outreach that will occur because of the Cruising Into History/Haiti 2004 Initiative.

Another key objective of this Initiative is to foster the creation of a strong base of political support among Africans in America to pressure the U.S. government to adopt a more constructive policy towards Haiti. Currently the U.S. government is blocking some $500 million in aid to Haiti because of its displeasure with President Aristide’s efforts to resolve a difficult political impasse. Other nations with similar problems have not been subjected to such harsh treatment. A powerful Black lobby could compel the U.S. government to be more respectful of Haiti.

August 14-21, 2004 upwards of 3,000 people of African descent and friends of Haiti will be “Cruising Into History.” With an International Black Arts and Cultural Festival, which will feature some of the world’s greatest artists and entertainers, a Pan-African Film Festival and receptions and seminars with renowned personalities, we intend to have a wonderful time. But, in the process we will also be crusading to uplift Haiti!



Copyright © 2002  The Black World Today.