New York Haitian Book Fair: A Cultural and Literary Reunion for the Diaspora

The New York Haitian Book Fair exceeded the organizers’ expectations. Sign which makes believe in the vitality of the Haitian literary culture in New York. This socio-cultural activity is far from meeting the needs in terms of literary and cultural activities. More activity is needed to satisfy the thirst seen among the New York diaspora. An estimated audience of more than four hundred (400) people, in a good-natured atmosphere, did us the honor of taking part in this initiative, considered as a real community and cultural reunion, particularly in terms of literature and education.

There was folkloric and literary cultural entertainment for all tastes and for all ages from early childhood to grandparents. Tchatcha Édition, represented by Madame Sousoule Sanozil and C3 Éditions with Nahomie Dry, graced the Salon with more than twenty titles from some fifteen authors.

For the gallery of authors, let’s not talk about it, it was well stocked. Let us cite a few great figures as examples: Professor Victor Benoit, founding member of Collège Jean Price-Mars (CJPM), Castro Desroches, first generation of CJPM students and member of the foreign language staff at Nassau Community College (NCC), sociologist Frédéric Boisrond of Canada, Professor Pierre Buteau, President of the Society for the History of Geography and Geology, a structure which is celebrating its centenary this year, political analyst Michel Soukar, sociologist Laënec Hurbon, novelist Frantz Benjamin, MP de Viau to the National Assembly of Quebec.

Also taking part were Professor Frantz Antoine Leconte, President of the Association of French Language Teachers in the USA, Sociologist Michel Acacia, Deputy Director of Publishing at the State University of Haiti, Claudy Delné with her title Éloge otherness, the novelist Gary Victor, Edenne Roc (the works of Jacques Stéphen Alexis in Creole) and the filmmaker Arnold Antonin.

The list of eminent figures does not stop there, some jewels of the fairer sex like the novelist Ketly Mars, having to her credit more than ten novels like the Angel of the Patriarch. It must be said that his novels describe Haitian society as it is. Rachel Price Vorbe whose novel “Le pont à deux temps” has just won the 2022 Deschamps Prize, Maudelyne Maximeau Gédéon with The Kingdom of Haiti, Independence Soup Joumou, Pascale Anglade, Sosyete Koukouy, a leader in her field of study.

In addition to books, the public was treated to an exhibition of paintings by Guerda Faustin from Visual Artist and Samuel Augustin.

To show Haitian culture in its broadest dimension, the two days of the Haitian Book Fair in New York were embellished with music with a troubadour led by Alix Julien, a pure product of CJPM, compositions by Lesly Vicière, slammers.

One of the highlights of the second day was the speech of Professor Victor Benoit-Mèt Benn, Artibonitien, the last survivor among the three founders of Collège Jean Price-Mars. The two other Grand-Anselais, René Philotecte, one of the greatest Haitian poets of the twentieth century and Jean-Claude Fignolé, the man of Apricots with The Possessed of the Full Moon who was one of the most respected literary critics of his time. They have already made the journey to the afterlife.

Brilliantly, Master Benn made the history of the CJPM for the audience thirsty to know why such a school at that time? It has succeeded in providing the nation with a plethora of citizens trained in the mold of patriotism, commitment and attachment to the country.

The Collège Jean Price-Mars was created in 1972 with the aim of responding to an urgent need for a school offer, especially for young people leaving the province who did not have the possibility of integrating congregational schools, because from low-income families. These young people landed in Port-au-Prince, either did not have contacts to enroll them in high schools which were under the control of the tontons macoutes (henchmen of the Duvalier regime) or the money to pay school fees in the schools. congregational and lay people who offer a quality education.

It is undeniable that these two days of promotion of Haitian culture – cement of all social formation – through the book was the work of the organizations (JPMOC) Jean Price-Mars Organization Culturelle and (VCRC) Vilbrun Community Research Center with the support from (HSI) Haitian Studies Institute. It goes without saying that all this was possible thanks to the desire and the will of this team Yolette Jules, Jennifer Joly, Kénol Anglade, Alix Julien our musical animator, Edeline Jules, Reindall Joseph, Rirchie Desroches, Marcel Poinsard Mondésir, who wishes create a new dynamic within the large Haitian community of the diaspora through culture, knowledge and education. For us, the best weapon and the best instrument of struggle that can allow us to forge the new Haitian man remains education. And, the latter must draw its source from our culture so rich in content and imagination.

Marcel Poinsard Mondesir