Haitian Heritage Month began in the 1930’s and is celebrated every year in May. The month-long festivities include parades, festivals, flag-raisings, and programs on Haiti’s historical and cultural contributions. Florida is one of the states which have led the way in American celebrations for heritage month. This year events included performances by Haitian artists as well as dancing, and Haitian cuisine and art.
The main event during Haitian Heritage Month is Haitian Flag Day on May 18th. Flag Day honors patriotism and the creation of the Haitian flag in 1803 during the Haitian revolution.
The flag of Haiti has a rich history of revisions. One of the more considerable changes to the flag was the dropping of the white stripe in 1803 to symbolize the separation of Haiti from the French.
Between 1804 and 1986, the Haitian flag underwent several more changes, including the 1806 addition of the message “L’union fait la force” (“Strength in unity”) at the center. This version of the flag was formalized by the official adoption of the 1987 Constitution.
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