Above: the statue of Louverture in Port-au-Prince (Photo: OPM Haiti)
By the Caribbean Journal staff
Haiti took time Sunday to remember the 210th anniversary of the death of founding father Toussaint Louverture, who led the Haitian revolution.
Louverture is currently the subject of a film being made by Nigerian director Jeta Amata partially filmed in Haiti. (Amata was named a Goodwill Ambassador for Haiti earlier this year).
Louverture died in Prison in Fort-de-Joux on April 7, 1803, after being arrested by French forces.
Above: Haiti PM Laurent Lamothe and President Michel Martelly in the Champs de Mars
“In overthrowing me, you have cut down in Saint-Domingue only the trunk of the tree of liberty,” Louverture told his captors. “It will spring up again by the roots, for they are numerous and deep.”
He proved correct, with Haiti ultimately declaring its independence less than nine months later.
Haiti’s government also marked the 30th anniversary of the Musee du Pantheon National, Haiti’s MUPANAH museum, on Sunday.
In 1983, the remains of Louverture were placed at the MUPANAH site.