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The Haitian flag was first created on May 18, 1803. Although it was not adopted until seventeen years later, in 1820, and it took another twenty-three years for it to become the country’s official flag in 1843, it is indeed its 223rd anniversary that is being celebrated in 2026. A symbol of freedom and national unity since the 1803 revolution, it has been honored by the entire Haitian diaspora around the world. In Saint-Barthélemy, Flag Day will take place this Saturday, May 23, organized by the Tèt Ansanm association. On the plaza in front of the Territorial Collectivity building, from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., artists DJ Franklin and 5LAN will provide the musical entertainment. Refreshments, food, dancing, performances, and many surprises are on the program.
“A land that suffers”
Jean-Denis Zamor, president of Tèt Ansanm, thanks Saint Barth for allowing him to celebrate a historic moment. “It is a duty of remembrance for a committed citizen who does not forget where he comes from,” he explains. “Beloved Haiti, this land that has given me so much, that has inspired me. A land that suffers. I don’t want to repeat every time what has already been said. The goal is not to rant. History has taught us that we are a great people. We have a duty to avoid sinking into hatred. I have patience, faith. A day will come when the wind of solidarity will blow again.”
In Saint Barthélemy, this will be the third edition of the Haitian flag celebration. “There aren’t many of us on the island, but there are Haitians here,” Jean-Denis Zamor notes. “We are a people who travel a lot.” Haiti’s history is little known. Even in the Caribbean, where it has nevertheless exerted a major influence.
The island was invaded by the Spanish in the 16th century, who named it Hispaniola (Ayiti, Quisqueya, and Bohio were the names given to it by the Amerindians). The invaders massacred or enslaved the Native American populations before deporting men from Africa to force them into labor. Then France, through its buccaneers, took possession of the western part of the island. Tobacco and sugarcane were at the heart of the slave-owning colonists’ operations. In 1790, Saint-Domingue was the wealthiest French colony. Then came the revolt and the revolution led by Toussaint Louverture and Jean-Jacques Dessalines, after whom the national anthem is named. After numerous battles, the country’s declaration of independence was proclaimed on January 1, 1804. This document was accompanied by a French royal decree requiring the payment of compensation to offset the colonists’ losses. This infamous debt would significantly hinder Haiti’s development. Today, the country is plagued by violence from armed gangs.
