Say hello to Majesteé, a thirteen year girl that wrote an impressive history paper on Toussaint Louverture, (May 20, 1743 – April 7,1803) the great Haitian general. Majesteé’s paper was so intriguing that she’s going to districts for a national history contest. She decided to write about the iconic general since its “Black History Month” and she wanted to runaway from writing about the usual black historical heroes. Many historians consider General Louverture as the greatest leader in world history; he actually defeated the French military leader and emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, who was considered the top military genius of the 19th century. Napoleon supported by his native country France, Great Britain, and the United States during the Haitian Revolution in the early 19th century. As a matter of fact president George Washington and Thomas Jefferson gave Napoleon an estimated $250,000 ($5 – 6,000,000 in today’s economy) to defeat the Africans in the island of Haiti, who were fighting to end their enslavement, but he still lost.

Legendary Haitian Revolution

When Majesteé’s mother, a good friend of mine, asked me if I knew anything about Toussaint Louverture I laughed, and said “Do I!?! Yes, I do know a lot about his legacy.” I emailed her all of my research on the legendary Haitian Revolution from a Haitian event that I hosted at a library back in 2013. Ever since I was in high school I wondered why the schools didn’t teach us about “The Haitian Revolution” one of the greatest battles that changed history? This knowledge was treated as a small piece of history that was inutile – not important enough to teach in classrooms where 50% of the students, such as myself, were of Haitian descent. Teaching relevant information keeps students engaged in educational environments.

The fact that a young girl took the initiative to research Haiti and our contribution to world history made my heart smile. History is our present, past, and future. Without a grasp of our past, we’re bound to screw up the same way our parents, their parents, and ancestors did. Nonetheless, we can use the values and lessons that our ancestors left us to propel ourselves and future generations to a higher level, whether it be financially or spiritually. History gives us roots, a foundation that we can either firmly stand on or run away from. I am an advocate that all culture’s history should be highlighted in the classrooms so that we all can appreciate and respect each others cultural roots to some degree.

Let’s wish Majesteé good luck during the Texas Bexar County – National History Fair! Bring home the gold princess!

Update: She made it to the next level – Regional’s Championship! Follow me on Twitter or Facebook for the conclusion.

Hotep & Many Blessings,
King Kevin Dorival