Noirism facts for kids
Noirism (pronounced Nwar-ism) was an important political and cultural idea that grew in Haiti after the United States left the country. It was all about bringing back and celebrating Haitian culture and traditions.
People who supported Noirism, called Noiristes, believed that Haiti's main problem was that a small group of people, called the mulatto elite, were in charge. They thought this group used their power to control the black majority. The Noiristes became very important in Haitian politics after President Élie Lescot was removed from power. Their ideas helped Dumarsais Estimé become president in 1946 and François Duvalier in 1957. During Duvalier's time, Noirism was used to keep people's support and make his rule seem right, even though it was a time of strict control.
The Start of Noirism
After the United States was in Haiti for twenty years, thinkers and writers started saying that Haiti should go back to its own culture. People like Jean Price-Mars said that the rich and powerful in Haiti were too focused on French and European ways. Instead, he believed they should value Haitian culture, like Haitian Vodou and Haitian Creole language. This idea of turning away from Western culture and looking to Africa for inspiration gave the Noiristes a lot of influence.
In 1932, three young men from the growing black middle class started a small group called the Griots. These students, Louis Diaquoi, Lorimer Denis, and François Duvalier, had studied under Price-Mars. After many talks, they started a magazine called Les Griots in 1938. Their goal was to spread the idea of using more local Haitian culture in daily life. The Noiristes thought that the mulatto elite didn't care about the black majority because they followed European values that didn't fit Haiti. Because of this, the Noiristes said the elite were not fit to lead. They also believed that black people shared special African biological and psychological traits.
Because the Noiristes focused so much on culture and race, they often disagreed with other groups, like the Haitian Communist Party. This party was against the president at the time, Sténio Vincent. The Communist Party believed that "Color is nothing, Class is everything." They said the Noiristes' focus on race was just a way to hide problems with social classes and cause more division. In return, the Noiristes criticized the Communists. They said the Communist ideas came from Europe and didn't fit Haiti's African nature. They also thought the Communists cared too much about money and not enough about spiritual things.
The government's actions against some political groups helped the Noiristes grow beyond just a group of thinkers. Events like the Catholic Church's campaign against Vodou and a difficult event at the border where many Haitians were harmed by the Dominican government made people think more about race. Public talks about Noirism became common, bringing important people like Daniel Fignolé into the movement. Also, famous black writers and artists from other countries, like Aimé Césaire, Zora Neale Hurston, and C. L. R. James, started to appreciate Haiti and its folk culture. This helped make the Noiristes' ideas seem more important and right to many people. Even though Noirism was becoming popular, it didn't fully take over politics until President Élie Lescot was removed from power in 1946.
Haitian Politics in the Mid-1900s
When President Lescot was removed by Haitian students, new political groups, like the Parti Populaire National formed by the Noiristes, could grow. For a short time, the Parti Populaire joined with the left-wing groups they had once disagreed with. They formed a group called Front Revolutionnaire Haiten. This group wanted to make sure a new government would be elected that helped all Haitians. However, this partnership quickly broke apart. Tensions between the groups continued. The Noiristes called the left-wing groups supporters of mulatto rule. In return, they were called a movement for the new black elite.
Even with these disagreements, the 1946 elections led to the election of Dumarsais Estimé, a moderate Noiriste. He quickly started putting Noirism into action. Important government jobs, like the ambassador to Washington, were given to educated black men, instead of the mulatto elite who had held these jobs before. Francois Duvalier was put in charge of the National Public Health Service. Duvalier and Denis brought back Les Griots magazine to celebrate Estimé's government. They saw it as the dream of Noirism coming true in politics. Later, in 1948, they published Le probleme des classes a travers l'historie, which is seen as a very important book in Noiriste thinking. Art and music, like Vodou-jazz, became very popular. They celebrated the new government, which was seen as representing the country's black majority.
But even though Estimé was popular with many Haitians, his government faced challenges. The mulatto elite still had a lot of power in the country. Also, the United States government was watching Haiti closely, caring about its own interests. In 1950, Paul Magloire became president after a military takeover. This quickly ended the first black-led government in Haiti. As a result, attacks on Vodou religion and culture by the Catholic Church continued without stopping. Actions against other political groups started again, as Magloire believed that peace could only be achieved by stopping disagreements. In 1956, Magloire had to leave the country because people were unhappy. The presidential seat was empty once more.
The Duvalier Years (1957-1986)
Just like in 1946, Noirism played a very important part in the 1957 Haitian general election. Duvalier and Fignole, both Noiristes, ran strong campaigns against each other. Fignole was accused of being a Communist, while Duvalier was accused of wanting to create a dictatorship. Another candidate, Louis Déjoie, who was part of the mulatto elite, was called a colon moderne, meaning a modern colonizer. He accused the Noiristes of wanting to harm mulattos. The election in 1957 was marked by disagreements and unrest. This continued for a year. Through clever tactics, fear, and reminding people of the popular Estimé presidency, it became clear that Francois Duvalier would be Haiti's next president.
At first, it seemed like Duvalier's presidency would bring good things for the black majority. The 1957 Constitution was the first to call Kreyol a language and give it basic legal protection. Duvalier also made sure to talk with Haitian farmers and showed support for the hougans, or Vodou priests, who often disagreed with the Catholic Church. However, it soon became clear that the promises of Noirism, of a society that helped Haiti's black majority, would not be fully kept. Culturally, European traditions and customs still had a strong hold on society. A person's position was often linked to how well they fit into that European culture. Economically, deals continued to be made with American businesses. The lives of average Haitians in the countryside and cities stayed mostly the same. Instead of being a time when many Haitians could improve their lives, like during Estimé's presidency, Duvalier's time became known for stopping disagreements very strictly. It also became known for the new black elite getting high pay and respect. When Francois Duvalier passed away and his son Jean-Claude Duvalier took power, this trend of favoring the elite over the common people continued.
