223 years of historical and cultural celebrations
Haiti's Hidden Treasures
DVD Documentary
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Haiti's Hidden Treasures
DVD Documentary
Part II: $20.00
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Catherine Flon Monument, Arcahaie, a reminder of our symbol of unity, liberty and pride.
One of the primary symbols of Haitian freedom is the Haitian flag, created in Arcahaie—a town located outside Port-au-Prince—on May 18, 1803. Since then, May 18th has been observed as Haitian Flag Day, a symbol of pride, unity, and individual liberty. In Haiti, Flag Day is a major national holiday celebrated with marching bands in the capital, Port-au-Prince, and in other cities across the country. In nations with large Haitian communities, particularly the United States, Haitians, pay tribute to the blue and red flag by carrying it with them or displaying it on their cars. They celebrate with floats and parades, a gesture that reminds all Haitians of the struggle of their forefathers, who liberated the nation to become the first independent Black country in the world.
The Haitian flag was born during a meeting known as the Congress of Arcahaie, held from May 14 to 18, 1803. The Congress was opened by Dessalines and Pétion on May 15, 1803, at the Mérotte plantation in Arcahaie. The main agenda was to establish a united command of the revolutionary army under the supreme authority of Jean-Jacques Dessalines in order to develop new strategies and tactics to thwart the colonial army. Dessalines was appointed General-in-Chief of the insurrection army.
The question of the new flag arose on the last day of the Congress, May 18, as the Indigenous Army needed its own banner. The newly appointed Commander General suggested that the old slogan "Live Free or Die" be replaced with "Liberty or Death." The debate over the proclamation of a new Haitian flag lasted an entire day. Only in the evening did the Congress of Arcahaie definitively adopt the new flag of Haiti. The white stripe was eliminated, while the remaining red and blue bands were joined together. The removal of the white stripe symbolized the abolition of the French colonial empire and the union of Blacks and Mulattoes in Haiti. The coat of arms featured a palm tree surmounted by the Phrygian cap of liberty, ornamented with trophies, with a banner across the bottom reading "L'Union Fait La Force" (Through Unity There Is Strength).
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Catherine Flon in Arcahaie square /Photo: Patrick Dorsainvil
Jocelyne Dorisme "Drapo Sa" Music Video
Through this gesture, they publicly declared that this country no longer wished to be recognized as a French territory, and that the people living on this land would rather die than be slaves. "Liberté ou la Mort" — "Liberty or Death" — became the new motto, as it had already been embraced during the Ceremony of Bwa Kayiman on August 14, 1791.
Haiti's first flag was sewn by a woman named Catherine Flon at the Congress. Following the defeat of French troops at the Battle of Vertieres on November 18, 1803, their capitulation allowed for the proclamation of Haiti's independence on January 1, 1804. From that moment, Haiti's new flag was raised proudly across the country.
Since May 18, 1803, the Haitian flag has undergone many changes in color and arrangement. In 1805, shortly after Jean-Jacques Dessalines proclaimed himself emperor, the flag was changed to black and red vertical bands. After the emperor's death in 1806, the country was divided into two republics for 14 years. In the northern part, Henri Christophe kept the flag used by Dessalines.
In the southern and western parts of the country, Alexandre Pétion nurtured the idea of giving the indigenous army its own flag. He returned to the 1804 blue-and-red flag, but this time added a white square in the center containing the country's coat of arms and the famous motto "L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE", meaning that through unity we find strength.
This flag remained in use until 1964, when Papa Doc Duvalier replaced it with the black-and-red vertical bicolor originally designed by Dessalines, adding a modified version of the Republic's coat of arms.
On February 25, 1986, following the fall of Jean‑Claude Duvalier (Baby Doc) and the Duvalier regime, the Haitian people demanded a change. The flag was restored to two equal horizontal bands—blue on top, red on bottom—with the Republic's coat of arms at the center. That design remains Haiti's flag today.
As we celebrate Haitian Flag Day, let us remember that our ancestors created the blue and red bicolor as a symbol of unity for all people of Haitian descent, uniting us in the fight for freedom and our everlasting independence.
Last update 05-18-2026
