English 102
Background information for The Dew Breaker
Note: I have copied the summaries you submitted. I have not corrected any errors of
typing, grammar, punctuation, or citation.
Aristide, Jean Bertrande
From what I read in Wikipedia, Jean Bertrande Aristide was the President of Haiti in
1991. Later, he continued as president in 1994-1996 and 2001-2004. He was Haitian
politician and former priest. He is the first Haiti’s democratically elected
president. When he is 30, Haiti was ruled by François "Papa Doc" and "Baby Doc"
Duvalier. Artiside is important when reading the Dew Breaker because after that I came
to know about the political in Haiti.
WORK CITED
“Jean Bertrande Aristide.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 7 May 2011. Web. 15 May
2011.
Constant, Emmanuel
According to The New York Times, Emmanuel Constant is the leader of a paramilitary
group called FRAPH (Front for the Advancement and Progress of Haiti). Constant served
as a paid informer for the C.I.A. since 1993 to spring 1994, the time when he and his
group committed political murders, and other acts of repression. His involvement with
the C.I.A. arises question whether the CIA really does not know anything about he and
his group actions.
Work Cited
Engelberg, Stephen. “A Haitian Leader of Paramilitaries Was Paid by The C.I.A.” The
New York Times. The New York Times. 8 October 1994. Web. 15 May 2011.
Danticat, Edwidge
Danticat wrote The Dew Breaker and the topic of Haitian government because of her
family’s history and the events she laid witness to. Her uncle had been killed because of
government conflict during the Duvalier reign. With a creative writing degree from
Brown, Danticat focuses on a historical fiction, using her twelve years experience
growing up in Haiti and the stories of her family as subject material. She wanted to let the
world know on an international scale, the difficulties and daunting past in Haiti’s twisted,
corrupt history through an interconnected family based viewpoint.
Edwidge Danticat Politics
Edwidge Danticat thinks that when Haiti people work hard to reach a certain goal they
will stop in one point. This causes the Haitian to always be in the bottom and never
developed. However, Danticat believes that there is always a chance for Haiti to become
a better place. So, she is interested in writing history, politics and culture of Haiti.
Work cited
Harvey, Charlotte Bruce. “Haiti's Storyteller.” Brown Alumni Magazine. The Brown
Alumni Magazine. 12 Jan.2010.Web.15 May.2011.
Dorismond, Patrick
According to The New York Times, Patrick Dorismond was the son of Haitian
immigrants and worked as a security guard for the 34th Street Partnership, New York. In
March 2000, he was shot by an undercover detective for being mistaken as a drug dealer.
He was angry when some detectives approached him, asking if he had marijuana. They
argued and “get real loud with each other” which lead to the shot by Detective Vasquez.
Work Cited
Chivers, C.J. “Death Sets Off Spasms of Sorrow and Outrage.” The New York Times. The
New York Times Company. 17 March 2000. Web. 11 May 2011.
Rashbaum, William K. “Undercover Police in Manhattan Kill an Unarmed Man in a
Scuffle.” The New York Times. The New York Times Company. 17 March 2000.
Web. 11 May 2011.
Duvalier, Francois (“Baby doc”)
Jean-Claude Duvalier, nicknamed "Baby Doc" (born July 3, 1951) was the President of
Haiti from 1971 until his overthrow by a popular uprising in 1986. He succeeded his
father, François "Papa Doc" Duvalier. He changed systems and delegated much authority
to his advisors. Thousands of Haitians were killed or tortured. Up to 30,000 Haitians
were killed. He maintained made millions from involvement in the drug trade and from
selling body parts from dead Haitians. A private militia, the Tonton Macoute, reinforced
the Duvalier rule. He has been in self-imposed exile for 25 years in France but later
returned to Haiti in 2011.
Fort Dimanche
Fort Dimanche, also known as the dungeon of death, was a prison located in Port-auPrince, Haiti. In this dungeon, thousands of Haitians were tortured every single day. The
warden of Fort Dimanche was known as Madame Max Adolphe. During her
administration, daily killings or torture were inevitable. Fort Dimanche is now a dump
that accommodates many homeless Haitians. Until these days, Fort Dimanche is a symbol
of horror during Baby Doc’s tyranny.
Works Cited
Guihare, Edobyluard. “Fort Dimanche symbol of Baby Doc's repression”. Agence
France-Presse. 24 Jan. 2011. Web. 14 May.2011.
McKinney, Mac. “Haitian Winter, Part 4: The Duvalier Legacy: The Ghosts of Fort
Dimanche.” 6 Mar. 2011. Web. 14 May. 2011.
The French in Haiti
According to International Debates the French began their control of modern day Haiti in
1697 when the Spanish left the island. “French adventurers” began settling the island
growing coffee and sugarcane; this would eventually create a demand for slave labor. In
1791 Toussaint L'Ouverture, Jean Jacques Dessalines, and Henri Christophe lead a slave
revolt that would push the French out of the Northern part of their colony. This began a
“war of attrition” where the outcome of the French military ended in defeated. In 1804
the newly independent nation renamed the territory Haiti.
Work Cited
"Haiti Profile." International Debates 9.2 (2011): 4-10. Academic Search Complete.
EBSCO. Web. 15 May 2011.
Haitian Immigration to the U.S.
According to an article in In Motion the African-American Migration Experience website
entitled “From Haiti to the United State”, during Papa Doc’s regime, President JFK
encouraged Haitians to immigrate to U.S. but his successor discontinued the
encouragement. Instead, the changed policy made it harder for them. After Papa Doc
died, his son inherited the island and nothing changed from his dictatorship regime. So
even though it’s harder, U.S. was still their first choice because some of their relatives
were already there.
Work Cited
“From Haiti to the United State”. Haitian Immigration: 20th Century. The New York
Public Library. n.d. Web. Sunday, May 15th 2011.
Haiti—Current Government
My topic is about State of the Haiti President and Government as of now. So they just
sworn the president in on Saturday May 14,2011 whose name is Michael Martelly. He
was a former singer/star. The government is Republic which has been the same since they
adapted in March 1987. The election is based off of the popular elections. The
Government has hope they can rebuild Haiti the way it used to be.
By Allyn Gaestel,
Los Angeles Times May 15, 2011
Haiti—Current Government
The Haitian government is a “semi-presidential republic”. The executive branch
is composed of the president, Michel Martelly, and the prime minister, Jean-Max
Bellerive. The president is elected by popular vote, and in turn the president appoints the
prime minister. The prime minister is chosen from the majority vote from National
Assembly of Haiti. It is also composed of elected officials in a judicial and a legislative
branch. Finally, Haiti is divided into 10 departments or territories that represent the
people within.
Work Cited
"Haiti - Republic of Haiti - Dayti, Haïti - Hispaniola - Caribbean." Nations Online
Project : A Destination Guide to Countries and Nations of the World. Web. 16
May 2011. <http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/haiti.htm>.
Tonton Macoute
Dew breaker is a novel that telling us a story about Tonton Macoutes that establish few
years after Francois “Papa Doc” Duvalier becomes president in Haiti. Tonton Macoutes
is also known as militia of national security volunteers which created to show their power
using torture and propaganda. This militia service will take out “Papa Doc” opponents,
people who do not agree with his governance or others that dislikes him. As a result, it
brings huge traumatized and terror both mentally and physically to civil people in Haiti
during the Duvalier regime.
Source: http://library.brown.edu/firstreadings/tonton.html
Voudou
According to “The Vodou Page,” Haitian Vodou is a religion that merges the
practices of West Africa, (mainly Fon and Ewe), with Catholicism. It was used as a way
for African slaves to continue practicing their own faith while being forced to assimilate
to that of their masters. Vodouisants believe in a supreme being called Bondye and also
worship lesser gods called loa; their moral code focuses mostly on the vices of dishonor
and greed.
Grey, Kathy S., M.S., 2008. The VODOU Page.
Voudou
Haitian Vodou is a religion that emerged in the 16th Century from the slaves who were
brought to Haiti from Africa. Barbara Bradley Hagerty of NPR explains that Haitian
Vodou is basically the belief that everything, whether or not it is physically alive (a rock,
a person, etc..), exists spiritually in another dimension. The belief in multiple dimensions
of life helps to deal with grief and death.
WORK CITED:
Hagerty, Barbara Bradley. “Voodoo Brings Solace To Grieving Haitians.” NPR. National
Public Radio, 20 Jan. 2010. Web. 15 May 2010.
“Haitian Vodou.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 11 Apr.
2011. Web. 15 May 2011.
Voudou
According to Wikipedia, Haitian Vodou is a syncretic religion originated in
Haiti and it’s created by African slaves. Haitian Vodouisants believe that there’s
only one god, which is referred as “Bondyè”. Because Bondye is unreachable,
Vodouisants aim their prayers to lesser entities, the spirits known as loa. These
loa can be divided into 21 nations, which include the Petro and Rada. Rada are
cool spirit whereas Petro are hot spirit and more agreesive. And both can be
dangerous if angry or upset.
WORKS CITED
“Haitian Vodou.” haitianconsulate.org. n.d. Web. 14 May. 2011
“Haitian Vodou.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.
13 May 2011. Web. 14 May. 2011