Haitians in the Haitians in the Dominican RepublicDominican Republic

Priscilla Mundo and Katie Schrimsher

►Haitian Exploitation in the Dominican Haitian Exploitation in the Dominican RepublicRepublic

HaitiHaiti

► A long history of conflicts and unrest…A long history of conflicts and unrest…► 18211821: President Boyer invades Santo : President Boyer invades Santo

Domingo (following the DR’s declaration of Domingo (following the DR’s declaration of independence from Spain). The entire island independence from Spain). The entire island was controlled by Haiti until 1844.was controlled by Haiti until 1844.

► 18381838: Haiti receives independence from : Haiti receives independence from France by an indemnity of 150 million francsFrance by an indemnity of 150 million francs

► 18671867: Constitution, economic and political : Constitution, economic and political stability, until…stability, until…

► 1911-20041911-2004: Revolutions, dictatorships, coups : Revolutions, dictatorships, coups with brief intermittent periods of economic with brief intermittent periods of economic stability stability

Dominican RepublicDominican Republic

►1822-18441822-1844: Controlled by Haiti: Controlled by Haiti►1916-19241916-1924: US occupied DR and : US occupied DR and

recruited Haitians to work in sugar cane recruited Haitians to work in sugar cane industryindustry

►19301930: Rafael Trujillo came to power- : Rafael Trujillo came to power- efforts toward “Dominicanization”efforts toward “Dominicanization”

►19521952- DR began importing Haitian - DR began importing Haitian laborerslaborers

►19861986- civil liberties given to Haitians: - civil liberties given to Haitians: labor contracts, human rights, max. work labor contracts, human rights, max. work hours, and housinghours, and housing

The BorderlandsThe Borderlands

► Border was an inconsequential political structureBorder was an inconsequential political structure► People went back and forth for different People went back and forth for different

purposes on a daily basis. purposes on a daily basis. ►Not many were “pure Dominicans” as they Not many were “pure Dominicans” as they

intermarriedintermarried►Many residents spoke both Spanish and Haitian Many residents spoke both Spanish and Haitian

Creole, or a blend of the two. Creole, or a blend of the two. ► Transnational region: no clear hierarchy existed, Transnational region: no clear hierarchy existed,

just cultural, religious, and linguistic distinctionsjust cultural, religious, and linguistic distinctions UNTIL…UNTIL…

Rafael L. Trujillo: Rafael L. Trujillo: AntihaitianismoAntihaitianismo

► President of the Dominican Republic from 1930 to President of the Dominican Republic from 1930 to 1938, Dictator through 19611938, Dictator through 1961

► Open-door policy which favored Caucasians in order Open-door policy which favored Caucasians in order to “whiten” the nationto “whiten” the nation

► ““Dominicanization”: standard Spanish in schools, Dominicanization”: standard Spanish in schools, names of towns, rivers, etc. changed to Spanish names of towns, rivers, etc. changed to Spanish ones, official border, “colonies” dispossessed many ones, official border, “colonies” dispossessed many HaitiansHaitians

► ““Parsley Massacre” of 1937: killed or expelled Parsley Massacre” of 1937: killed or expelled about 15,000 Haitians, used pronunciation of about 15,000 Haitians, used pronunciation of perejilperejil to determine identityto determine identity

► Anti-Haitian propaganda through speeches, the Anti-Haitian propaganda through speeches, the media, books, and historical texts, deploring their media, books, and historical texts, deploring their “Africanness,” language, and Vodou practices “Africanness,” language, and Vodou practices

What do you think?What do you think?

What factors in the island’s What factors in the island’s history impacted the status history impacted the status

of Haitians in the DR?of Haitians in the DR?

TodayToday

► About 500,000 Haitians live in the Dominican About 500,000 Haitians live in the Dominican Republic todayRepublic today

► Many migrated (often illegally) to work in the sugar Many migrated (often illegally) to work in the sugar cane industry, taking jobs that Dominicans were cane industry, taking jobs that Dominicans were reluctant to doreluctant to do

► Lighter complexion associated with higher statusLighter complexion associated with higher status► Work in the cane fields is looked down uponWork in the cane fields is looked down upon► Derogatory slurs are common in social and political Derogatory slurs are common in social and political

domainsdomains► Spanish heritage is emphasizedSpanish heritage is emphasized► Only Spanish language is used in marketplace, media, Only Spanish language is used in marketplace, media,

education, and government domains (not Haitian education, and government domains (not Haitian Creole)Creole)

What do you think?What do you think?

What could be done to improve What could be done to improve the status of Haitians in the the status of Haitians in the Dominican Republic today?Dominican Republic today?

What do you think?What do you think?

How do you think the lower How do you think the lower status of Haitians affects status of Haitians affects

intergroup relations (marriage, intergroup relations (marriage, work, education)?work, education)?

ResourcesResources

► http://www.student.britannica.com/eb/art/print?http://www.student.britannica.com/eb/art/print?id=52624&articleTypeId=0id=52624&articleTypeId=0

► http://www.travelinghaiti.com/history.asphttp://www.travelinghaiti.com/history.asp► http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Haitihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Haiti► Howard, David. (2001). Coloring the Nation. Howard, David. (2001). Coloring the Nation.

Hemisphere: A Magazine of the AmericasHemisphere: A Magazine of the Americas, 9 (3), 21-, 9 (3), 21-23.23.

► Morgan, N.T. (1987). Language maintenance and Morgan, N.T. (1987). Language maintenance and shift among Haitians in the Dominican Republic. shift among Haitians in the Dominican Republic. Ann Arbor, MI: UMI Dissertation Services.Ann Arbor, MI: UMI Dissertation Services.

► Turits, Richard Lee. (2002) A World Destroyed, A Turits, Richard Lee. (2002) A World Destroyed, A Nation Imposed: The 1937 Haitian Massacre in the Nation Imposed: The 1937 Haitian Massacre in the Dominican RepublicDominican Republic. Hispanic American Historical . Hispanic American Historical ReviewReview, 82 (3), 589-635., 82 (3), 589-635.