Ertha Pascal-Trouillot facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ertha Pascal-Trouillot
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Pascal-Trouillot in 1991
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| 41st President of Haiti | |
| In office 13 March 1990 – 7 February 1991 |
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| Preceded by | Hérard Abraham |
| Succeeded by | Jean-Bertrand Aristide |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 August 1943 Pétion-Ville, Haiti |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse | Ernst Trouillot |
| Alma mater | University of Haiti |
Ertha Pascal-Trouillot (born August 13, 1943) is a Haitian politician. She served as the temporary President of Haiti for 11 months from 1990 to 1991. She was the first woman in Haiti's history to hold this important position. She was also the first female president of African descent in the Americas.
Early Life and Education
Ertha Pascal-Trouillot was born on August 13, 1943. Her birthplace was Pétion-Ville, a suburb located in the hills above Haiti's capital city. Her father, Thimbles, worked with iron and passed away when she was young. Her mother, Louise, was a seamstress. Ertha was the ninth of ten children in her family.
When she was 10 years old, she attended the Lycée François Duvalier. There, she met Ernst Trouillot, who would later become her husband. He was a teacher and encouraged her studies.
At first, Ertha wanted to study science in college. However, Ernst Trouillot convinced her to study law instead. In 1971, she earned her law degree from the École de Droit des Gonaïves in Port-au-Prince.
Career in Law and Politics
Ertha Pascal-Trouillot had a varied career. She worked as a lawyer, writer, and teacher. She also became a Supreme Court justice.
During the time of the Duvalier dynasty in Haiti, she made history. She was appointed as Haiti’s first female judge. Later, in 1986, she was appointed to the Supreme Court. This made her the first woman to serve on that high court.
While she was the Chief Justice, she took on an even bigger role. On March 13, 1990, she became the country’s temporary president. Her main job was to organize a fair general election for the country. She successfully oversaw these elections, which were mostly peaceful. Jean-Bertrand Aristide won the presidency with a large number of votes.
After the election, Ertha Pascal-Trouillot faced a difficult situation. She was accused of being involved in a plot against the government. However, there was no clear proof against her. She was released quickly and then stepped away from active politics. She left Haiti for a time but later returned. Since then, she has focused on writing about Haiti's history.
As the temporary president, Pascal-Trouillot had a crucial task. She had to guide Haiti towards its first free elections after a long period of dictatorship. She worked with a 19-member Council of State. This council had the power to approve or reject her decisions. She managed the council's work to avoid disagreements and fulfill her duties to the public. She also announced that schools would reopen. They had been closed due to protests against the previous military government.
Pascal-Trouillot helped Haiti move from a dictatorship to a new democracy. She worked with Karl Auguste to update Haiti’s laws. Haiti’s democracy has faced many challenges since then, including economic problems and natural disasters. However, it has continued to grow. After Pascal-Trouillot's leadership, more women began to run for important political jobs. These included roles as senators, deputies, and ministers.
Personal Life
Ertha Pascal-Trouillot's family faced hardships during the Duvalier era.
She was married to Ernst Trouillot for over 40 years. He was a journalist, lawyer, and teacher. They had a daughter named Yantha. Ernst Trouillot was a very important person in Ertha's life. He was more than 20 years older than her. She met him when she was a teenager in one of his classes. He saw her intelligence and encouraged her to go to law school. Ernst passed away from a stroke.
Pascal-Trouillot has lived in both Haiti and New York City.
See also
In Spanish: Ertha Pascal-Trouillot para niños
- First women lawyers around the world
