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. This was between 1990 and 1991. She was the first woman in Haiti's history to hold this important job. 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 hometown was Pétion-Ville, a nice area near the capital city. Her father, Thimbles, worked with iron. He passed away when Ertha was young. Her mother, Louise, was a seamstress. Ertha was the ninth of ten children in her family.
When she was 10, she went to the Lycée François Duvalier school. There, she met Ernst Trouillot, who became her mentor. He was more than 20 years older than her.
Ertha first wanted to study science in college. But her mentor, Ernst, encouraged her to study law instead. In 1971, she earned her law degree. She studied at the École de Droit des Gonaïves in Port-au-Prince.
Career in Law and Politics
Ertha Pascal-Trouillot has had many important jobs. She has been a lawyer, a writer, and a teacher. She also became a Supreme Court justice.
During a time known as the Duvalier dynasty, Ertha made history. She became the first female judge in Haiti. She served on the Court of First Instance. Later, in 1986, she was appointed to the Supreme Court. This made her the first woman to serve on that court too.
While she was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, she took on an even bigger role. On March 13, 1990, she became Haiti's temporary president. Her main job was to organize a general election. She successfully held peaceful elections. These elections led to Jean Bertrand Aristide becoming president. He won with 67% of the votes.
During her time as president, Ertha Pascal-Trouillot worked with a special committee. This committee helped manage the country's affairs. It also helped with the elections. She also had the support of the army. After Jean Bertrand Aristide won, she faced questions about a political change. However, it was never proven that she was involved in any wrongdoing. With help from the United States, she was released quickly. After this, she stepped away from active politics. She later returned to Haiti. She has been working on writing about Haiti's history.
As temporary president, Mrs. Pascal-Trouillot had a big task. She had to guide Haiti towards early elections. She worked with a 19-member Council of State. This council had the power to disagree with her decisions. She had to manage this council carefully. She also worked to avoid conflict. She announced that schools would reopen. They had been closed due to protests.
Trouillot helped Haiti move from a dictatorship to a new democracy. She oversaw the country's first free and fair democratic elections. She also worked with Karl Auguste. They were on a team to update Haiti's laws. This happened after the previous leader, Duvalier, left power. Her leadership helped Haiti's democracy grow stronger. After her time as president, more women started running for important roles. These included senators, deputies, and ministers.
Personal Life
Ertha Pascal-Trouillot's family faced challenges. Her brother, Alix, was injured by a bullet. He became paralyzed from the waist down. Another brother, Andre, was arrested.
She was married for over 40 years to Ernst Trouillot. He was a journalist, lawyer, and teacher. They had a daughter named Yantha. Ernst was also the father of Michel-Rolph Trouillot, who became an anthropologist. Ernst Trouillot had a big influence on 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 how smart she was 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
- First women lawyers around the world
