Haitian

Wyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, actor, and rapper. This Grammy Award-winning musician garnered national attention when his efforts to raise relief funds to aid the victims of the 2010 Haitian earthquake through his charitable organization Yéle Haiti were questioned as reports suggested that Jean retained the money for his own benefit. The organization has been the subject of controversy.

François Duvalier was a Haitian politician. From 1957 to 1971, he served as the president of Haiti. Over the course of his political career, Duvalier's regime became despotic and totalitarian. In 1964, Duvalier declared himself President for Life and remained in power until his death. Since his demise, several books have been written about his rule in Haiti. 

Jean-Jacques Dessalines was an important figure and leader of the Haitian Revolution. He went on to rule an independent Haiti, which became the first country to abolish slavery permanently. Considered one of Haiti's founding fathers, Dessalines reigned as the emperor of Haiti from 1804 until his murder in 1806. Today, he is regarded as an icon of Haitian nationalism.

Bermane Stiverne is a Haitian-Canadian boxer who reigned as the WBC heavyweight champion for eight months between 2014 and 2015. As an amateur, he won a bronze medal in the 2003 and 2004 National Championships as well as a silver medal at the 2005 Championships. An avid fan of basketball, Stiverne supports the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association.

Jahking Guillory is an American rapper and actor who has been active in the entertainment industry since the mid-2010s. Beginning his career as a teenager, he played the leading role of Brandon in the film, Kicks. His role in the Netflix series On My Block also earned him much appreciation. Since then, he has appeared in many popular TV shows. 

Michel Martelly is a Haitian former politician. From 2011 to 2016, he served as the 41st president of Haiti. Also a singer and keyboardist, Michel was one of Haiti's most popular musicians for over a period of 10 years! He is renowned for his Kompa music and has released several studio albums like Anba Rad La and Tout Cé Mately.

Former Haitian president Henry Christophe also declared himself the king of northern Haiti as Henry I. Apart from spending lavishly on building palaces for himself, he also restored soldier peasants and gifted plantations to military leaders. He eventually committed suicide by shooting himself, fearing a coup against him.

Jean-Claude Duvalier was a Haitian politician. From 1971 to 1986, Duvalier served as the president of Haiti before he was removed from office by a popular uprising. During his presidency, thousands of Haitians were tortured or killed. His presidency was also marked by his notoriously lavish lifestyle, while many Haitians were left to battle poverty.

Jean Louis was a French-born costume designer who worked predominantly in Hollywood. In an illustrious Hollywood career that spanned more than four decades, Louis designed outfits for almost every Hollywood star including Rita Hayworth, Lucille Ball, and Judy Garland. Jean Louis is also credited with designing Marilyn Monroe's iconic dress worn at President John F. Kennedy's 45th birthday celebration.

Alexandre Pétion was a Haitian political leader best remembered for his service as the first President of Haiti from 9 March 1807 until his death on 29 March 1818. Today, Alexandre Pétion is revered as one of the founding fathers of Haiti.

Apparently, Haitian-American author Edwidge Danticat, known for books such as Breath, Eyes, Memory, had begun writing to escape the bullying she faced because of her Haitian ways after she moved to the U.S. as a young girl. Although her parents wanted her to study medicine, she took up French literature.

Zach Auguste is a Greek-American basketball player who has won two Greek League titles so far. He also won a Greek Cup as well as a Slovenian Cup in 2021 and 2022, respectively. He currently plays for the Slovenia club, Cedevita Olimpija.

Dutty Boukman was a Haitian revolutionary who was active during the Haitian Revolution. It is believed that Boukman and a Vodou mambo named Cécile Fatiman presided over a religious ceremony at Bois Caïman that instigated the 1791 slave revolt which came to be known as the Haitian Revolution.

Faustin Soulouque was a Haitian military commander and politician. He is best remembered for his service as the President of Haiti from 1 March 1847 to 25 August 1849. He then acquired autocratic powers and declared himself the Emperor of Haiti. Faustin Soulouque went on to reign as the Emperor of Haiti from 26 August 1849 to 15 January 1859.

Born to Haitian agronomist Claude Préval, René Préval, too, followed in his father’s footsteps to become a prominent agronomist. He also studied geothermal sciences, before stepping into politics and becoming Haiti’s 2nd prime minister and, later, its 41st president. He had also served as the Haitian interior and defense minister.

Laurent Lamothe is a Haitian businessman, political figure, and economist. He is known for his service as the Prime Minister of Haiti from 16 May 2012 to 14 December 2014. He also served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 24 October 2011 to 6 August 2012. Laurent Lamothe is currently serving as the Minister of Planning and External Cooperation.

Jean-Bertrand Aristide is a Haitian politician who served as the country's first democratically elected president. He was removed from office during the 2004 coup d'état and was later forced into exile. He returned to Haiti after seven years amidst rumors that blamed the US for orchestrating the coup against him. A former priest, Jean-Bertrand Aristide taught liberation theology to many.

Born to Haitian diplomat Alix Balmir in Venezuela, Stephanie Villedrouin grew up to lead Haiti as its tourism minister and witnessed the inauguration of Haiti’s first tourism promotion office during her tenure. She later turned into an entrepreneur and has also managed a hotel in Kenscoff.

Initially a lawyer and the first female justice at the Supreme Court of Haiti, Ertha Pascal-Trouillot later rose to be Haiti’s first provisional female president. Her main task as the provisional president was to prepare Haiti for the elections, while coordinating with the 19-member Council of State.

Jean-Pierre Boyer was a Haitian political leader best remembered for his service as the President of Haiti from 30 March 1818 to 13 February 1843. He is credited with reuniting the north and south of Haiti to form the Republic of Haiti. Jean-Pierre Boyer also annexed Spanish Haiti to bring all of Hispaniola under a single Haitian government by 1822.

Haitian author and intellectual Jacques Roumain explored the black perspective through his works and also believed in the concept of art for people's sake. Best known for his poetry collection Ebony Wood and his novel Masters of the Dew, he was also a supporter of Marxist theory.