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                    SPONSOR:      Sen. Brown           DELAWARE STATE SENATE   153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY       SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 7       RECOGNIZING JANUARY 1, 2025 AS HAITIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE.      

     

     SPONSOR:      Sen. Brown     

SPONSOR: Sen. Brown

 SPONSOR:  

 Sen. Brown 

   

 DELAWARE STATE SENATE 

 153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY 

   

 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 7 

   

 RECOGNIZING JANUARY 1, 2025 AS HAITIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE. 

   

   WHEREAS, in 1659, the French colony of Saint-Domingue now known as Haiti was established. The French colonists began setting up sugar and coffee plantations worked by imported bondsmen from Africa. By 1788, the island had over 700,000 bondsmen working in brutal conditions; and    WHEREAS, as a result of overwork, lack of proper medical care, and inadequate food, clothing, and shelter, the mortality rate far exceeded the birth rate; and    WHEREAS, thus, the colonial system in Haiti was described as one of the most brutally efficient bondsmen colonies and Frances most profitable colonial possession, which they called The Pearl of the Antilles.; and    WHEREAS, in 1791, the long-seething tensions between the bondsmen and the French planters reached a bloody climax; and    WHEREAS, in 2 months, 4,000 white people were killed, and 180 plantations were destroyed, the loss of property amounting to about 2 million Francs; and    WHEREAS, in September of that same year, the whites began organizing themselves into militias and struck back, leading to the loss of 15,000 black lives; and    WHEREAS, at this point, the bondsmen demanded freedom from slavery and not independence; and    WHEREAS, on February 4, 1794, the French National Convention declared the abolition of slavery in all French colonies. However, this didnt bring about instant transformation as the French later attempted to reimpose slavery, leading to another revolt in 1802; and    WHEREAS, on November 18, 1803, the final battle that secured victory for the bondsmen occurred, called the Battle of Vertires, which marked the first-ever successful slave revolt to lead to the creation of an independent state; and    WHEREAS, Haiti proclaimed independence from the French colonial authorities on January 1, 1804. Haiti, which in Taino means country of mountains, was renamed under the direction of Jean-Jaques Dessalines from Saint-Domingue; and    WHEREAS, as a result, Haiti became the first independent nation led by a black majority in the post-colonial era and Latin America.    NOW, THEREFORE:    BE IT RESOLVED  by the Senate of the 153rd General Assembly of the State of Delaware  that January 1, 2025, is recognized as Haitian Independence Day in the State of Delaware.      

  WHEREAS, in 1659, the French colony of Saint-Domingue now known as Haiti was established. The French colonists began setting up sugar and coffee plantations worked by imported bondsmen from Africa. By 1788, the island had over 700,000 bondsmen working in brutal conditions; and 

  WHEREAS, as a result of overwork, lack of proper medical care, and inadequate food, clothing, and shelter, the mortality rate far exceeded the birth rate; and 

  WHEREAS, thus, the colonial system in Haiti was described as one of the most brutally efficient bondsmen colonies and Frances most profitable colonial possession, which they called The Pearl of the Antilles.; and 

  WHEREAS, in 1791, the long-seething tensions between the bondsmen and the French planters reached a bloody climax; and 

  WHEREAS, in 2 months, 4,000 white people were killed, and 180 plantations were destroyed, the loss of property amounting to about 2 million Francs; and 

  WHEREAS, in September of that same year, the whites began organizing themselves into militias and struck back, leading to the loss of 15,000 black lives; and 

  WHEREAS, at this point, the bondsmen demanded freedom from slavery and not independence; and 

  WHEREAS, on February 4, 1794, the French National Convention declared the abolition of slavery in all French colonies. However, this didnt bring about instant transformation as the French later attempted to reimpose slavery, leading to another revolt in 1802; and 

  WHEREAS, on November 18, 1803, the final battle that secured victory for the bondsmen occurred, called the Battle of Vertires, which marked the first-ever successful slave revolt to lead to the creation of an independent state; and 

  WHEREAS, Haiti proclaimed independence from the French colonial authorities on January 1, 1804. Haiti, which in Taino means country of mountains, was renamed under the direction of Jean-Jaques Dessalines from Saint-Domingue; and 

  WHEREAS, as a result, Haiti became the first independent nation led by a black majority in the post-colonial era and Latin America. 

  NOW, THEREFORE: 

  BE IT RESOLVED  by the Senate of the 153rd General Assembly of the State of Delaware  that January 1, 2025, is recognized as Haitian Independence Day in the State of Delaware. 

   

  SYNOPSIS   This resolution recognizes January 1, 2025, as Haitian Independence Day in the State of Delaware.   Author: Senator Brown  

 SYNOPSIS 

 This resolution recognizes January 1, 2025, as Haitian Independence Day in the State of Delaware. 

 Author: Senator Brown