Haitian American

Haitian American

Wyclef Jean Garcelle Beauvais Reginald Fils-Aime Dawn Richard Jason Derülo Marjorie Vincent Philippe Derose Mia Love Tony Yayo
Total population
881,488 (2010 U.S. Census)
Regions with significant populations
South Florida metropolitan area, New York City, New Jersey, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C.
Languages
French, English, Haitian Creole
Religion
Predominantly Roman Catholic with considerable adherents of Protestantism, and Mormonism
Related ethnic groups
African-American, Afro-Latin Americans, Haitians in France, Latin Americans, Haitian Canadians, Haitian Brazilians, Dominican American

Haitian Americans (French: Haitien Américain) (Haitian Creole: Ayisyen Ameriken) are Americans of Haitian heritage, or Haitian-born people who are naturalized citizens or permanent residents of the United States. The largest proportion of Haitians live in South Florida counties and cities such as New York, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Chicago and Boston.

In 2009 the US Census estimated that there are 830,000 Haitian Americans living in the U.S. but many consider this number inaccurate due to the presence of illegal Haitian immigrants. During the early 1960s and the 1970s, many Haitians emigrated to the U.S. legally as well as illegally during the family dictatorships of François "Papa Doc" and Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier.

History

During the 1790s, Haiti was one of the most affluent of the French colonies well-known for its much-desired sugar cane. During this period, enslaved Haitians (original Sub-Saharan Africa and Central Africa) who populated the majority of the country rebelled against their owners and began fighting for independence. Though this hard-fought battle won Haiti its independence in 1804, the rebellion also caused a mass exodus from the country encouraged by panic. Many whites of French descent and blacks, freed and recently enslave, emigrated to the United States seaports establishing large French-speaking communities in New Orleans, Norfolk, Baltimore, New York City, Miami, and Boston. Though France was another major destination for many Haitian immigrants, the United States was a much more popular place for these individuals. Despite certain ebbs and flows between the 18th and 20th centuries, this migration has remained more or less constant.

There are four periods of en masse migrations to the United States in the history of Haiti including the initial at the turn of the 18th century, the U.S. occupation, the Duvalier regime, and the overthrow of Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Between 1957 and 1986, when the Duvaliers ruled Haiti, the political persecution that Haitians suffered caused many Haitian professionals, the middle class, and students emigrated to others countries. Haitians sought political asylum or permanent resident status in many countries such as the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, France, Dominican Republic. Between 1977 and 1981, 60,000 Haitian (those who traveled by boat from Haiti to the United States) landed in South Florida, most of them migrating to a neighborhood called "Little Haiti".

Between these years and on through the 80s, there was also a significant brain drain from Haiti as thousands of Haitian doctors, teachers, social workers and entrepreneurs moved from Haiti to New York and Miami. Haitians also began working in restaurants and music stores. In 1986, 40,000 Haitians who came to the United States seeking political asylum achieved permanent resident status. In 1991, there was another wave of Haitian boat people. However, with the government of Clinton, many were not allowed to reach the shores of the United States. They were either detained and/or sent back to Haiti. Between 1995 and 1998, 50,000 Haitians obtained temporary legal status.

Immigration Today

Political strife, marked with corruption, and intimidation led to many Haitians leaving the island for an opportunity of a better life. Waves of Haitians made it to the shores of Florida seeking asylum. Most of the foreign-born Haitians arrived during the 1970s. Haitian immigration to United States started with the exodus of most French settlers in Haiti.

Today, Florida has the largest percentage of Haitians residing within its borders. In 2000, Florida had 182,224 foreign-born Haitians, 43.5% of the total foreign-born population from Haiti (excluding the number of American-born Haitians). New York had the second largest population of foreign-born Haitians with 125,475, approximately 30%. Haitian illegal immigrants attempting to reach the shores of Florida are routinely swept up by the United States Coast Guard and often repatriated. This has led to many civil rights group protests regarding the unfair treatment they receive, in contrast to the asylum granted (see: wet feet, dry feet policy) to their Cuban counterparts. Lastly, vast disparities between the Haitian wealthy elite and the poor originated in Haiti and continue to exist for many Haitian Americans in the United States.

Language and Religion

Most Haitian immigrants who have traveled to the United States (particularly the more recent individuals) communicate in Haitian Creole and are either familiar with, or learn English. In Haiti, although French is an official language that is widely spoken and understood, most Haitians speak Creole in their daily lives, a language that is a form of French intermixed with African and Amerindian words. Most descendants of Haitians and Haitian immigrants living in America speak English fluently. As for religion, most Haitian Americans, as in Haiti, are Roman Catholics. However, there are also small Protestant and Mormon communities of Haitian Americans. Some individuals also practice one of Haiti’s Afro-religious practice known as Vodoun. Religion is very important in the life of Haitian Americans.

Adjustment and Culture

The Haitians that emigrated to the United States brought many of their cultural practices and ideologies into their communities. Many foreign-born Haitians go into the business sector, often setting up their own businesses. This includes the establishment of barbershops and individually owned restaurants (predominately of Haitian cuisine). Haitian presence and culture is often strongly felt when entering communities of a significant Haitian American population, most notably the well-known ethnic enclave in Miami, Florida known as Little Haiti. Neighborhoods in New York, such as Flatbush (Nostrand), East Flatbush, and Canarsie of Brooklyn and Elmont, Long Island, have a significant Haitian American influence. The Mattapan section of Boston is considered the main center of Haitians. More recently, many Haitians have left the "big city" for a better, more quiet life and better education for their children. Growing Haitian communities have formed in smaller cities in the Northeast especially Providence, Rhode Island. Influence is sometimes marked by the everyday conversations between people in Haitian Creole on the streets. Second-generation Haitian Americans are generally more successful in terms of higher-paying occupations, and significantly better off in terms of level of education. Several Haitian-Americans have become successful professional athletes, mostly in the National Football League.

Haitian and Haitian American Youth

Since the 1980s, a new generation of young Haitian immigrants and Haitian immigrant children have populated the nation’s schools and communities, proving to be the fastest growing and most ethnically diverse segment of America’s child population. These Haitian (American) youth are very diverse in the ways that they identify with Haiti and participate within their different communities. These youth vary between those who were born of immigrant parents, those who immigrated as small children, those who moved recently due to extreme factors (such as the 2010 earthquake), and those who have simply come to attend colleges and Universities. Many scholars refer to these Haitian youth as the “new second generation.” These scholars argue that the process of claiming an identity (or identity formation) among Haitian youth can be attributed to many different factors including first generation modes of adaption, parental socio-economic status, length and place of residency, certain social constructions of a pluralistic American society (such as racism), as well as others.

Education is a significant factor in the lives of Haitian American youth, particular as many aspire towards certain professions like medicine and law that will enable them to give back to their communities. It is important to note that many Haitian youth that immigrate have been trained in top Haitian middle schools, high schools, and colleges that aptly prepare them for such pursuits. Because of this, many Haitian youth come to the United States just to matriculate on to college. (See Harvard University’s Haitian Student Association for an example of a strong group of Haitian American and Haitian students who take pride in their culture while attending University). In other cases, parents who do not have access to these schools in Haiti may move to the United States to offer their children better opportunities.

Finally, Haitian American youth creatively express themselves in different ways. For many, creative expression allows a certain connection to home (to Haiti) that keeps them bound to their roots and allows them to maintain a sense of pride for their country while abroad. This expression includes speaking the language (Haitian Creole) in friend circles and in places such as home and church. It also includes cooking traditional Haitian food, following Haitian music and musicians, and participating in Haitian styles of dance. These aspects of creative expression allow Haitian youth to maintain a strong tie to their Haitian communities that, while informed by an American experience, also adds elements and nuances to American culture.

High percentages of Haitian ancestry by community

The 36 U.S. communities with the highest percentage of people claiming Haitian ancestry are:

%	Community	State
33.5%	Golden Glades	Florida
33.0%	North Miami	Florida
23.0%	El Portal	Florida
23.0%	Spring Valley	New York
19.9%	North Miami Beach	Florida
15.7%	Lauderdale Lakes	Florida
14.5%	Lake Park	Florida
13.9%	Ives Estates	Florida
13.8%	Immokalee	Florida
12.1%	Pine Hills	Florida
11.5%	Belle Glade	Florida
11.4%	Orange	New Jersey
11.3%	New Cassel	New York
11.1%	Irvington	New Jersey
10.8%	North Valley Stream	New York
10.7%	Elmont	New York
10.5%	Delray Beach	Florida
9.2%	Biscayne Park	Florida
9.2%	Mangonia Park	Florida
9.1%	Lauderhill	Florida
8.5%	Uniondale	New York
8.3%	Miami Shores	Florida
8.1%	Lake Worth	Florida
8.0%	Roselle	New Jersey
7.8%	Nyack	New York
7.6%	South Nyack	New York
7.0%	Ramapo	New York
7.0%	Oakland Park	Florida
6.9%	Fort Lauderdale	Florida
6.7%	Florida City	Florida
6.7%	North Lauderdale	Florida
6.7%	Wilton Manors	Florida
6.5%	Boynton Beach	Florida
6.4%	Asbury Park	New Jersey
6.4%	Fort Pierce	Florida
6.2%	Randolph	Massachusetts
3.2%	Cranston	Rhode Island

High percentages of Haitian birth by community

The 100 U.S. communities with the most residents born in Haiti are:

1. Pompano Estates, Florida 26.6%
2. North Miami, Florida 24.3%
3. Golden Glades, Florida 24.1%
4. Kendall Green, Florida 21.2%
5. Tedder, Florida 20.9%
6. Pinewood, Florida 18.5%
7. Bonnie Loch-Woodsetter North, Florida 16.6%
8. Spring Valley, New York 16.4%
9. Loch Lomond, Florida 15.6%
10. Hillcrest, Queens 14.7%
11. El Portal, Florida 14.0%
12. North Miami Beach, Florida 13.8%
13. Melrose Park, Florida 11.5%
14. Lauderdale Lakes, Florida 11.2%
15. Belle Glade Camp, Florida 10.7%
16. Immokalee, Florida 10.5%
17. Delray Beach, Florida 10.3%
18. Lake Park, Florida 10.1%
19. Belle Glade, Florida 10.1%
20. Naples Manor, FL 9.6%
21. Leisureville, FL 9.1%
22. Ives Estates, FL 9.1%
23. New Cassel, NY 9.0%
24. Biscayne Park, FL 8.8%
25. Twin Lakes, FL 8.7%
26. Norland, FL 8.5%
27. Pine Hills, FL 8.4%
28. Orange, NJ 8.4%
29. Lake Worth, FL 8.1%
30. Irvington, NJ 8.1%
31. Westview, FL 8.0%
32. Oak Ridge, FL 7.8%
33. North Valley Stream, NY 7.8%
34. Elmont, NY 7.6%
35. South Nyack, NY 7.1%
36. Lantana, FL 6.4%
37. Boynton Beach, FL 6.4%
38. Lauderhill, FL 6.4%
39. Wilton Manors, FL 6.4%
40. Miami Shores, FL 6.2%
41. Mangonia Park, FL 6.2%
42. Roselle, NJ 6.2%
43. East Garden City, NY 5.9%
44. Fort Lauderdale, FL 5.9%
45. Uniondale, NY 5.8%
46. Nyack, NY 5.8%
47. Asbury Park, NJ 5.6%
48. Ramapo, NY 5.4%
49. Collier Manor-Cresthaven, FL 5.3%
50. Fort Pierce, Florida 5.3%
51. Oakland Park, Florida 5.3%
52. Westgate-Belvedere Homes, FL 5.3%
53. Whitfield, FL 5.2%
54. Broadview-Pompano Park, FL 5.2%
55. North Lauderdale, Florida 5.1%
56. Randolph, Massachusetts 4.9%
57. Pompano Beach, FL 4.8%
58. St. Leo, FL 4.8%
59. Lake Forest, FL 4.5%
60. Scott Lake, FL 4.4%
61. Inwood, FL 4.4%
62. Golden Gate, FL 4.3%
63. Wyandanch, NY 4.3%
64. Breckinridge Center, KY 4.3%
65. Seminole Manor, FL 4.2%
66. South Floral Park, NY 4.1%
67. Lakeview, NY 4.0%
68. Miramar, FL 4.0%
69. Wheatley Heights, NY 3.9%
70. Miami, FL 3.9%
71. Brockton, MA 3.9%
72. Fort Myers, FL 3.8%
73. Lake Belvedere Estates, FL 3.8%
74. Pine Manor, FL 3.7%
75. Pompano Beach Highlands, FL 3.7%
76. Andover, FL 3.7%
77. East Orange, NJ 3.6%
78. West Little River, FL 3.5%
79. West Palm Beach, FL 3.5%
80. Maplewood, NJ 3.4%
81. Rodney Village, DE 3.3%
82. Pomona, NY 3.2%
83. Northwest Dade, FL 3.2%
84. Pembroke Park, FL 3.2%
85. Baldwin, NY 3.1%
86. Naranja, FL 3.1%
87. Florida City, Florida 3.2%
88. Miami Gardens, Broward County, FL 3.1%
89. Lake Worth Corridor, FL 3.0%
90. Pine Castle, FL 3.0%
91. Homestead, FL 3.0%
92. St. George, FL 3.0%
93. Pleasantville, NJ 3.0%
94. West Haverstraw, NY 2.9%
95. Nanuet, NY 2.8%
96. Roosevelt, NY 2.8%
97. Deerfield Beach, FL 2.8%
98. East Perrine, FL 2.8%
99. Linden, NJ 2.7%
100. Everett, MA 2.7%

See also

• List of Haitian Americans