Today (April 18), millions of social media users are celebrating Haitian Flag Day.
Haitian Flag Day is a day commemorating the creation of Haiti’s flag. It also marks the island nation’s rebellion that led to the island’s emancipation from its French colonizers.
Haiti’s flag is a horizontal flag of blue and red, with a white rectangle in the center featuring a coat of arms. On the coat of arms sits a hilltop, weaponry and a palm tree. There is a white ribbon at the bottom of the hillside which reads, “Unity is Strength.”
Haiti’s first flag as an independent nation was created by revolutionary Jean-Jacques Dessalines, the emperor of Haiti who proclaimed his country’s independence in 1804.
January 1, 1804 — Jean-Jacques Dessalines, an African-born ex-slave declared Haiti independent. pic.twitter.com/a2k7VsOl6I
— MoorInfo (@MoorInformation) January 1, 2021
History books say that Dessalines ripped out the white bits from the French flag before sewing the red and blue together to make the first Haitian flag. The blue represents Haiti’s African residents while the red represented those of mixed European and African descent.
Dessalines is considered one of the founding fathers of Haiti and was second in command under Toussaint L’Overture during the Haitian Revolution.
Francois Capois, is known for his bravery in leading the final battle which expelled the French out of Saint Dominique allowing General Jean-Jacques Dessalines to declare the island independent and rename it to Haiti. He was given the nickname Capois la Mort, which translates to pic.twitter.com/sInW2qs1LD
— #FREEHAITI HAITIAN HISTORY 🇭🇹 (@HaitianArchives) November 7, 2020
History books record him as a villain. It is said that Dessalines ordered the massacre of approximately 5,000 of the island’s white men, women, and children, declaring, “I have saved my country. I have avenged America.”
Local historians say this was only occurred out of fear of a French resurgence. Dessalines wanted to ensure that his people would be free from French rule.
Cited in Steven A. Knowlton's paper in Raven 21: Madsen Mompremier, Dessalines Ripping the White from the Flag (1995). Source: © Photo courtesy of the Fowler Museum at UCLA. #haiti #haitianhistory #dessalines #frenchflag #flags #vexillology https://t.co/QTgeGdjSVO pic.twitter.com/sJ8oetNWwH
— NAVA (@flagstudies) April 22, 2020
Haiti is an island revered for its fighting spirit. May is also Haitian Heritage Month, a month-long extension of the celebration.
Haitians from around the world took to social media this morning to proudly show off their flags and their rich Haitian history.
Good morning its Haitian flag day 🇭🇹❤️😁 pic.twitter.com/upIGoqlaKU
— andi 🇭🇹🇭🇹 (@hoodsdagger) May 18, 2021
👸🏾❤️🇭🇹 HAITIAN FLAG DAY 🇭🇹❤️👸🏾#haitianflagday pic.twitter.com/v4f3c4GDBO
— 🧜🏽♀️𝑳𝑨 𝑷𝑰𝑹𝑬 (@n2ala) May 17, 2021
Happy Haitian flag day! Love my people and heritage 🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹 pic.twitter.com/ZXzh00P3ZI
— W (@UnAthlethic) May 18, 2021
Is it really haitian flag day if i dont post this gem love yall fr 🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹 pic.twitter.com/HTOFitIZn0
— GVZV 🇯🇲 (@NxggaintheMist2) May 18, 2021
My favorite time of tha year . Happy Haitian flag day my zoesssss🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹 pic.twitter.com/X5fMLLLc4V
— brown baby✨ (@itsmimiboo_) May 18, 2021
Happy Haitian Flag Day to all my Haitian-Americans and Haitians around the world! 🇭🇹
— Marie Woodson (@MarieWoodsonFL) May 18, 2021
As a proud Haitian-American, I had the opportunity to acknowledge this meaningful holiday in the Florida House of Representatives. Haitians have a rich history that is not often told or… pic.twitter.com/7D5gA9mCTx
🇭🇹 Today is Haitian Flag Day! Celebrate with a live virtual concert from WXPN featuring Paul Beaubrun from the French Institute in Port-au-Prince on Tuesday, May 18, at 7 p.m. ET. https://t.co/QiXA7Sa1iN
— NPR Music (@nprmusic) May 18, 2021
It’s Haitian flag day 🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹 pic.twitter.com/wSGmdonYHE
— Queen Sheeba 👑 (@analoN_) May 18, 2021
I love being haitian. Our culture and history is unmatched!!! Happy flag day to the haitian community & everyone who supports us ✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹
— Desí 🇭🇹 (@AddySensei) May 18, 2021
, millions of social media users are celebrating Haitian Flag Day.){kind=link}