Born of a slave rebellion on the French colony of Saint-Domingue which transformed intoÌýthe most radical antislavery and anticolonial revolution in world history, Haiti became the first independent Black republic in 1804. In the early years of independence, a scission emerged between rival revolutionary factions, leading to geographical division of sovereign territory and the establishment of two separate and independent states: a ‘State ofÌýHayti’ in the North and a ‘Republic ofÌýHayti’ in the South. In 1811, Henry Christophe,ÌýGeneralissimo of the northern territory, crowned himself king.ÌýThough thisÌýOctober marks the bicentenary of theÌýfall of the Kingdom of Haiti, this webinar celebratesÌýits manifold artistic and cultural ‘afterlives’, focusingÌýin particularÌýonÌýthe strong connections forged between Britain and Haiti.ÌýItÌýwillÌýexplore issues relating to Haitian history and heritage, numismatics,Ìýtransatlantic artistic production, dress and music produced in or on behalf of the Kingdom of Haiti.ÌýThe event will take place on October 6thÌý(Christophe’s birthday) and will be led by experts in the fieldÌý–ÌýjoiningÌývirtually from the UK, US and HaitiÌý– andÌýwill offer an introduction to the historical contextÌýsurroundingÌýthese transatlantic cultural connections as well as a series of short talks on more focused topics.ÌýItÌýwill conclude with a live performance.Ìý
Organised by Dr Esther Chadwick (91Ó°ÊÓ)Ìý
Participants:
Dr Nicole Willson – Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellow at the Institute for Black Atlantic Research, University of Central Lancashire
Gaëlle Lissade – Chargé d’Affaires, Haitian Embassy in London
Wilford Marous – President, Haitian Chamber of Commerce in the UK
Dr Marlene Daut – Professor of African Diaspora Studies in the Carter G. Woodson Institute and the Program in American Studies at the University of Virginia
Tabitha McIntosh – Independent Scholar, UK
Joseph Guerdy Lissade – Vice President, Haitian Geological, Geographical and Historical Society
Henry Stoll – PhD Candidate in Historical Musicology at Harvard University
Melissa JosephÌý– Soprano
