IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1367 

Recognizing the significance of the Haitian flag to the people of Haiti and 

supporting the goals and ideals of Haitian Flag Day. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 18, 2010 

Ms. CLARKE (for herself, Mr. RANGEL, Ms. KILPATRICK of Michigan, Mr. 

MEEK of Florida, Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. 

MCMAHON, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. FILNER, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Ms. 

JACKSON LEE of Texas, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Ms. 

LEE of California, and Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the significance of the Haitian flag to the people 

of Haiti and supporting the goals and ideals of Haitian 

Flag Day. 

Whereas Haitian Flag Day is celebrated annually on May 18, 

marking the date of creation of the first Haitian flag 

sewn by Catherine Flon, on May 18, 1803, in Arcahaie, 

Haiti; 

Whereas the Haitian flag is a symbol of pride, unity, individual liberty, and is tightly linked to the country’s history of struggle and freedom; 

Whereas the Haitian flag is also a commemoration of the heroes of Haiti’s history, Toussaint L’Ouverture, JeanVerDate Mar 15 2010 05:56 May 19, 2010 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR1367.IH HR1367

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•HRES 1367 IH 

Jacques Dessalines, Alexandre Petion, and Capois La 

Mort; 

Whereas Haitian Flag Day is a major Haitian national holiday celebrated with great fanfare on the grounds of the 

national palace and all cities in the country; 

Whereas Haitian Flag Day is also celebrated in other countries with large Haitian populations, such as the United 

States; 

Whereas the Haitian Revolution was the only successful slave 

revolt in world history, resulting in Haiti becoming the 

first Black sovereign nation; 

Whereas Haiti also became the second free republic in the 

Western Hemisphere, after the United States; 

Whereas, on August 21, 1791, the Haitian Revolution began 

its struggle against the French occupation; 

Whereas from 1791 to 1793, the revolt became more widespread and gave rise to a number of large groups still 

fighting independently; 

Whereas the slave movement found some synergy and came 

to follow the leadership of Toussaint L’Ouverture; 

Whereas Toussaint L’Ouverture led the entire war under the 

French blue, white, and red flag; 

Whereas after the capture of L’Ouverture, Jean-Jacques 

Dessalines, his successor, modified the flag by stripping 

the white band from the flag, which led to the red and 

blue design and inserting the coat of arms in the center 

which carry the words, ‘‘L’Union fait la force’’ meaning 

‘‘through Unity, there is Strength’’; 


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•HRES 1367 IH 

Whereas the red symbolizes the blood and the sacrifices made 

by the heroes of the Haitian Revolution, and the blue is 

emblematic of hope and unity; 

Whereas the Haitian Revolution was one of the most influential uprisings in the Western Hemisphere, sparking slave 

revolts throughout the Caribbean which forced the eventual end of slavery in the British and French Caribbean; 

Whereas the Haitian Revolution also inspired the three major 

slave revolts in the United States, Gabrielle Prosser in 

1800, Denmark Vesey in 1822, and Nat Turner in 1830; 

Whereas the Trinidadian born historian, C.L.R. James, stated that the Haitian Revolution was the first in the chain 

of Pan-African revolts that led to independence throughout Africa; 

Whereas the defeat of the French Army by the Haitian people ruined Napoleon Bonaparte’s plan to expand the 

French Empire in the west, by forcing France to sell the 

Louisiana Territory to the United States at 4 cents per 

acre; 

Whereas the Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the 

United States by 828,000 square miles from Mississippi 

to the Rocky Mountains and from the Gulf of Mexico to 

Canada; 

Whereas this was considered the biggest land deal in the history of the United States; 

Whereas the Haitian Army, led by Dessalines, devastated 

Rochembeau and the French Army at the Battle of 

Vertie`res on November 18, 1803; 

Whereas, on January 1, 1804, Dessalines declared independence, reclaiming the indigenous Taı ́no name of Haiti 

(‘‘Land of Mountains’’) for the new nation; 


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•HRES 1367 IH 

Whereas 206 years after independence, Haiti’s history has 

been one of challenge and resilience; 

Whereas recently, the earthquake of January 12, 2010, killed 

over 200,000 people, shattered the economy, and leveled 

its infrastructure; 

Whereas as the Haitian people and the Haitian Diaspora attempt to rebuild the island nation, Haitians look to their 

flag as a symbol of hope, courage, and pride; 

Whereas the Haitian flag serves as a treasured symbol of 

those who lost their lives in the struggle for freedom from 

oppression and as a reminder of their proud history; and 

Whereas, May 18, 2010, is recognized as Haitian Flag Day: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives recog2 nizes the significance of the Haitian Flag to the people 

3 of Haiti and supports the goals and ideals of Haitian Flag 

4 Day. 

Æ 


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