Special to USAfrica magazine (Houston) and USAfricaonline.com, the first Africa-owned, US-based newspaper published on the Internet.
On October 17,, we pause to honor a man whose name should never be forgotten: Jean-Jacques Dessalines. He was more than the father of Haitian independence—he was the embodiment of defiance, courage, and hope for every African soul across the world.
Dessalines didn’t just liberate a nation; he gave birth to an unyielding belief—that freedom is our birthright, no matter the chains that try to bind us. He was a force, an eternal flame that will never die.
Jean-Jacques Dessalines was born into the cruel realities of slavery in Saint-Domingue, where the system sought to break not just bodies but spirits. But Dessalines refused to be broken. Rising from the chains of bondage, he became one of history’s most determined leaders, guiding his people to an unprecedented victory.
In 1804, when most of the world viewed Africans as less than human, Dessalines declared that no one could own another person. And not only did he say it—he made it reality. He and his army of the enslaved Africans rose up and defeated the most formidable army on earth. They did what no one thought possible. They claimed a future that wasn’t given to them; they seized it. In that moment, Haiti became a beacon for all who suffered under the yoke of oppression.
Dessalines’ legacy reaches far beyond Haiti. No matter how much they tried to supress it, the revolution echoed across the world because it wasn’t just about one nation’s independence. It was a declaration for all oppressed people—across the Caribbean, across Africa, across the diaspora. It was a call to rise, to unite, and to never accept anything less than our full humanity.
And yet, here we are, over 200 years later. Are we truly free?
We have broken the physical chains, yes. But there are still shackles that bind us—economic chains, social chains, the chains of racism, injustice and inequality. The fight is not over. Dessalines’ struggle is not over. His dream of a united people—strong, free, and unapologetic—remains unfinished.
As a diplomat, I have spoken in many forums—from the halls of Westminster Palace to the vibrant cities of Africa—and my message has always been clear: Haiti’s fight is Africa’s fight. We are one people, divided by oceans but bound by blood. Our fates are intertwined. The struggle for freedom in Haiti was a struggle for Africa, and Africa’s future is Haiti’s future.
Dessalines knew this. He understood that freedom could never be given; it must be taken, and it must be held onto with both hands. And today, we face new forces that seek to divide us. But we must remember: Unity is our greatest strength. Those who wish to see us fail fear this the most. They know that when we are united, we are unstoppable. We are resilient, we are powerful, and we will not be silenced.
As we honor Dessalines, we must carry forward his spirit of unity. Division is our enemy. The world has always tried to divide us, to pit us against each other, to make us forget the common ground we share. But we must not let them succeed. We are descendants of greatness—descendants of those who overcame the unthinkable. And that greatness lives in us still. Now is the time to reclaim it.
When looking to the palm tree on the Haitian flag—it stands tall, its roots unshaken, no matter how fiercely the winds blow. That is the spirit of Dessalines, and it is the spirit of Africa. We bend, but we do not break. Like that tree, we stand firm against the storms of history, and we rise again and again.
But we must not rise alone. Haiti cannot rise without Africa, and Africa cannot rise without Haiti. Our destinies are intertwined. Dessalines understood this—he knew that his victory was not just for the people of Haiti, but for all those whose humanity had been denied. And today, we must remember that our struggles, our challenges, and our victories are shared. We are one people.
Today, we do not just remember a man. We remember a legacy. A legacy of unyielding courage, of unbreakable unity, of unapologetic freedom. And we recommit ourselves to that legacy.
To the nearly 2 billion people of African descent across the world, this is my call to you: stand with Haiti, stand with Africa, stand with each other. Our strength lies in our unity. We have faced centuries of division, oppression, and injustice, but we are still here. And we will continue to be here, standing tall, standing proud, standing together. The world may try to divide us. The world may try to silence us. But we will not be broken.
The flame of freedom that Dessalines lit still burns, and it is our duty to keep that flame alive. It burns in Haiti. It burns in Africa. It burns in the hearts of every man and woman who carries the legacy of our ancestors. And we must pass that flame on—to our children, to future generations—so that they may know their worth, their strength, their power.
Dessalines did not just fight for freedom. He fought for dignity. He fought for unity. He fought for us. And now, it is our turn to fight. Not with weapons, but with education, with solidarity, with the unshakable belief that we are worthy of every opportunity, every right, and every piece of respect this world has to offer.
As we remember Jean-Jacques Dessalines, we do more than pay tribute to a great man. We recommit ourselves to the dream he died for. We stand tall, as he did. We fight, as he fought. We rise, as he rose. And we will never stop rising.
Because we are the descendants of a great people.
