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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
House Resolution 1
A resolution designating May 18, 2023, as "Haitian 2
Flag Day" in the State of Florida. 3
4
WHEREAS, the Republic of Haiti, an island nation located in 5
the West Indies on the western third of the Island of 6
Hispaniola, declared its independence from French colonial rule 7
on January 1, 1804, following a slave revolt under the 8
leadership of Generals Toussaint L'Ouverture, Jean -Jacques 9
Dessalines, and Alexandr e Pétion, becoming the first and only 10
state created from a successful slave rebellion, and 11
WHEREAS, Haiti was the first independent nation in Latin 12
America and the first postcolonial independent nation led by 13
blacks in the world, and 14
WHEREAS, observed ev ery year on May 18, Haitian Flag Day 15
was celebrated secretly in Haiti during United States occupation 16
from 1915 to 1934 and was first celebrated in communities around 17
the world in the late 1990s, and 18
WHEREAS, the Haitian flag known today, which was offici ally 19
adopted in 1806 by President Alexandre Pétion, is emblazoned 20
with the country's coat of arms and the colors red and blue, 21
adopted from the flag of France, the country from which Haiti 22
gained its independence, and 23
WHEREAS, General Jean -Jacques Dessalines is regarded as the 24
father of the Haitian flag and, according to Haitian historical 25
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
tradition, was known to have dramatically cut the French 26
tricolor with his saber at the May 1803 Arcahaie conference, 27
ripping away the white of the French flag to symbol ize an end to 28
European influence and leaving two strips that Catherine Flon 29
then sewed back together: the blue, which represented the former 30
African slaves brought to Haiti by colonial powers, and the red, 31
which symbolized people of mixed European and Afri can descent, 32
and 33
WHEREAS, the Haitian flag is a definitive symbol of pride 34
for the Caribbean nation, having become the second republic, 35
after the United States, to defeat a European colonial power in 36
the Americas, and 37
WHEREAS, Haitian Flag Day events are annually observed and 38
celebrated with pride and enthusiasm throughout Florida and the 39
United States, and 40
WHEREAS, as educators, authors, community leaders, 41
activists, athletes, artists, musicians, and politicians, 42
Haitians and Haitian Americans have left an indelible mark on 43
every facet of this nation's society and the world, evidenced by 44
the accomplishments of such icons as Jean Baptiste Point du 45
Sable, founder of the City of Chicago; civil rights activist 46
W.E.B. Du Bois; National Football League player Pierre Garҫon; 47
author and candidate for the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2009, 48
Frankétienne; and Tony Award -winning actress and singer Nikki M. 49
James, and 50
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WHEREAS, the close proximity of Haitian and Floridian 51
shores, in conjunction with Haiti and Florida 's common bond of 52
mutual values and commitment to democracy, ensures continued 53
trade relations, and 54
WHEREAS, an estimated 1.2 million persons of Haitian 55
descent now reside in the United States , and more than 235,000 56
Haitian Americans live in southern Florida alone, and 57
WHEREAS, Haitian Flag Day salutes the Haitian and Haitian -58
American communities and exhibits appreciation for their culture 59
and heritage, which have immeasurably enriched the lives of the 60
people of this state and nation , NOW, THEREFORE, 61
62
Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of 63
Florida: 64
65
That May 18, 2023, is designated as "Haitian Flag Day" in 66
the State of Florida. 67