Haiti and Chicago, a historical connection that needs to be celebrated.
Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable was a free man of color, originally from the town of St. Marc in St. Domingue (present day Haiti). DuSable settled near the mouth of the Chicago River between 1778 and 1779. He and his Potawatomi wife, Kittihawa (Catherine) had a successful trading post there.
Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable is the first non-Native American settler of the area that we all know as Chicago. Unfortunately, the historical importance of his contribution is often overlooked and very much uncelebrated. Until now, that is…
The DuSable Heritage Association (DHA) has been collaborating with other organizations to establish the DuSable Park.
A project of this magnitude needs a lot of support and financial backing. It behooves all of us, and particularly Haitians considering the connection to Haiti, to support this effort that aims to celebrate a man of color and his accomplishments and legacy that have gone unrecognized for so many years.
Carmélite, Gaëlle and Gabrielle Dalmacy, residents of Grosse Pointe Woods (MI) and members of Haitian Network Group of Detroit have pledged to help raise $10,000 to support the creation of the DuSable Park in Chicago. This is certainly a worthy cause to fight for! Won’t you join them?
Donations can be made online or mail a check to HNGD 60 Milwaukee P.O. Box 2106 Detroit, MI 48202 (checks must be made out to HNGD; please add DuSable Park in the memo line)
