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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 2023 as "Haitian Heritage 2
Month" in the State of Florida. 3
4
WHEREAS, Haitian Heritage Month is celebrated by the 5
Haitian diaspora around the world to celebrate Haitian heritage 6
and culture, and 7
WHEREAS, as educators, authors, entrepreneurs, community 8
leaders, activists, athletes, artists, musicians, and 9
politicians, Haitian Americans have made their mark and have 10
contributed to the betterment and diversity of this state and 11
the nation, and 12
WHEREAS, Haitians fought in the American Revolution to 13
support independence efforts from the British, and 14
WHEREAS, on January 1, 1804, Haiti declared and won her 15
independence from the French, led by revolutionaries to include 16
Toussaint de Bréda (also known as "Toussaint l'Ouverture"), 17
Jean-Jacques Dessalines, Henri Christophe, Alexandre Pétion, 18
Victoria Montou (also known as "Gran Toya" and "Adbaraya Toya"), 19
Dutty Boukman, Marie -Jeanne Lamartinière, Cécile Fatiman, and 20
Suzanne "Sanité" Bélair, and 21
WHEREAS, Haiti is the only country to be born of a 22
successful revolt of enslaved people declaring their 23
independence and affirming their humanity, becoming the first 24
independent state in Latin America an d the Caribbean, and 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
WHEREAS, Haiti was the first country in the world to 26
abolish slavery, helped Simón Bolívar lead the charge to 27
liberate Latin America from Spanish rule, supported Greece's 28
efforts for independence, and cast the deciding vote in the 29
United Nations to allow Israel to be recognized as a nation in 30
modern times, and 31
WHEREAS, May 18 is Flag Day in Haiti, and 32
WHEREAS, the United States and the State of Florida have 33
thrived as a melding of immigrants, united by common values and 34
the promise of a better tomorrow, and 35
WHEREAS, according to the Migration Policy Institute, more 36
than two-thirds of Haitian immigrants living in the United 37
States reside in Florida and New York, and 38
WHEREAS, there are significant populations of Haitian 39
Americans in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, Virginia, 40
Pennsylvania, Georgia, New Hampshire, Illinois, Texas, and 41
Washington, D.C., and 42
WHEREAS, there is a strong connection between Haitians and 43
Florida, including hundreds of thousands of Haitian Americans 44
residing in South Florida alone, NOW, THEREFORE, 45
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Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of 47
Florida: 48
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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
That May 2023 is designated as "Haitian Heritage Month" in 50
the State of Florida, and all communities and individuals 51
throughout the state and nation are encouraged to honor Haitian 52
and Haitian-American culture and remember that America's 53
greatness lies in its diversity. 54