Red and Black in Haiti: Radicalism, Conflict, and Political Change, 1934-1957

In 1934 the republic of Haiti celebrated its 130th anniversary as an independent nation. In that year, too, another sort of Haitian independence occurred, as the United States ended nearly two decades of occupation. In the first comprehensive political history of postoccupation Haiti, Matthew Smith argues that the period from 1934 until the rise of dictator Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier to the presidency in 1957 constituted modern Haiti's greatest moment of political promise.

Smith emphasizes the key role that radical groups, particularly Marxists and black nationalists, played in shaping contemporary Haitian history. These movements transformed Haiti's political culture, widened political discourse, and presented several ideological alternatives for the nation's future. They were doomed, however, by a combination of intense internal rivalries, pressures from both state authorities and the traditional elite class, and the harsh climate of U.S. anticommunism. Ultimately, the political activism of the era failed to set Haiti firmly on the path to a strong independent future.

Author: Matthew J. Smith
Publisher: University of North Carolina Press
Published: 05/15/2009
Pages: 296
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.95lbs
Size: 9.10h x 6.10w x 0.80d
ISBN: 9780807859377

Review Citation(s):
Chronicle of Higher Education 05/29/2009 pg. 18
Choice 03/01/2010

About the Author
Smith, Matthew J.: - Matthew J. Smith is a lecturer in the Department of History and Archaeology at the University of the West Indies at Mona, Jamaica.