A New Year so many reasons to celebrate: Starting new projects, being alive, having freedom, spending time with people and a fresh beginning and if you are Haitian or of Haitian descent, Haitian Independence Day is another cause for celebration. And speaking of new projects, this year, the Fulton County Library is participating in "Year of the Book."
Year of the Book has a different theme for each month. There will be challenges in Beanstack. If you have participated in Summer Reading, you are most likely familiar with Beanstack and if this is new to you, just like the new year bring new opportunities to learn, Beanstack could be a place for you to being learning new library resources.
January's theme for Year of the Book is "Freedom to Read." Part of celebrating freedom is reading about freedom, identity, and history.
On one half of the island of Hispaniola is the Dominican Republic and the other side of the island is a nation once called Ayati. Today we call it Haiti. Haiti celebrates their Independence Day on the 1st of January. This small island nation is known as the “Mother of Freedom” because it was the first free Black Nation in the Western Hemisphere. It is also given this name because the nation was and is known for its Revolutionary Spirit with leaders like Jean Jacques Dessalines, Henry Christopher and Pierre Toussaint L’Ouverture. One of these men would become the only king of Haiti (The First and Last King of Haiti by Marlene L. Daut). One has been called Black Spartacus. He also died in a prison cell in France. One of these men is rarely spoken about but Freedom to read gives you an opportunity to learn more about him.
For all the fans of the movie “Black Panther,” it said that each of these men had a connection to the Dahomey Tribe. The book Sister Warrior by Vanessa Riley is historical fiction about the Dahomey warriors of Haiti. This was the tribe of warrior women in the movie “Black Panther.”
Haiti is seen in a variety of ways, some positive and some negative but Haiti is a nation of survival and resilience. It is a nation with a deep cultural heritage. Haiti is also a nation of perseverance, a nation with beautiful landscapes and energy. Haitian Song a documentary available in Kanopy shows everyday life in Haiti.
Haiti is the home to many mysteries such as Santeria, Vodun, the Gede, Mami Wata and Haitian Creole. This is the place where Zora Neale Hurston wrote the classic “Their Eyes were watching God.”
The Haitian Revolution for Independence began in 1791. The nation declared its freedom from France 1 January 1804. Take a moment and imagine a small island nation standing up to fight against Napolean and the empire of France. Haiti’s Independence came at high cost to both sides including France having to sell its territory known as Louisiana to the United States.
There are so many “famous” people with ties to Haiti: Alexandre Dumas the author of the Three Musketeers; Karine Jean-Pierre the first Black White House Press Secretary; Francois Duvalier who was infamous; Wyclef Jean; Edwidge Danticat and Roxane Gay. Interested in learning about the history, culture, literature and people of Haiti head over to Overdrive and peruse the Haitian Independence Day list. Alexandre Dumas' father, Alex Dumas was born on the island of Saint-Domingue. The Black Count is a biography ofAlex Dumas.
As we celebrate New Year’s Day on 1 January, take time to remember and honor those who fought to give Haiti Independence. Your Library is here to aid you in getting more familiar with the nation known as the “Mother of Freedom.”
And hopefully, the time you spend reading about Haiti will let you see the country as a real place not a stereotype. The documentary Haiti Untold available in Kanopy is a place to begin to see famous and not famous Haitian people lives. Library Resources are for all ages. Are you looking for a book for a young reader? Try Haiti A to Z: A bilingual ABC book about the Pearl of the Antilles by M. J. Fievre.
Most of all, may the Freedom to read, help you grow and flourish in this life. Happy 2026 to everyone!!
“Bònn Fèt Endepandans!”
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