Hello AfriKili Family,

Let’s explore our 3 Pan-African pillars: History, Business and Politics

HISTORY

Haiti, the 1^st Black Republic

On January 1, 1804, General Dessalines signed the Haitian Declaration of Independence, which made Saint Domingue the first independent nation in the Caribbean, the second democracy in the western hemisphere, and the first black republic in the world. He renamed the former French colony “Haiti,” as a tribute to the original Taino people who inhabited the island hundreds of years ago.

The liberation of Haiti came after several decades of fierce battles and uprising between the French army and Haitian freedom fighters. Long before General Dessalines finally forced the French army, led by Napoleon, to completely surrender and leave the Island, several black leaders had been emerging and inspiring their people to fight. Some of the leaders included Mackandal, Boukman Dutty and Toussaint Louverture.

Mackandal was one of the most famous Maroons, who were former slaves that were revolting against the inhumane treatment from slave masters and were fleeing the plantations to hide in the mountains. Mackandal organized an army that raided plantations and liberated thousands of slaves. When he was eventually captured, Mackandal swore that one day, all the slaves of Saint Domingue would be free.

Boukman Dutty was a slave brought from the Island of Jamaica three decades after Mackandal. He started what would become the biggest slave revolt in the history of the world, also known as the Haitian Revolution. After conducting a secret spiritual ceremony in a wooded area under the tree of Bois Caiman in August 1791, Boukman Dutty inspired slaves all over Saint Domingue to band together, free other slaves, and defeat their oppressors.

Toussaint Louverture was a soldier who quickly rose the ranks to become the leader of the revolutionary army, and he organized the slaves to properly fight against the French army. He eventually became the Governor General of the Saint Domingue colony, making him the most powerful man on the island and allowing him to introduce several social reforms with his new government. Toussaint Louverture was captured by Napoleon’s army and sent to prison in France for the rest of his life.

Did-You-Know about Haiti:

• Haiti comes from “Ayiti,” a Taino word which means “the land of many mountains”. The Taino were a group of Arawakan natives who lived in Haiti many thousands of years ago. Taino means “good” and “noble”.

• Christopher Columbus arrived on the beaches of Ayiti in December 1492. He found native Tainos and a very rich island with massive amounts of Gold and treasures. Columbus claimed the Island for Spain and named it Hispaniola.

• In 1697, the French and Spanish agreed to divide the Island of Hispaniola in two. The Spanish side would be called Santo Domingo and the French side would be called Saint Domingue.

• With a growing need of need of labor to work on the plantations, the French colonists started bringing slaves from Africa. By relying on slavery, Saint Domingue was able to supply two third of the world’s sugar and the French slave masters became very rich. Saint Domingue grew so wealthy that the French nicknamed the Island, “The Pearl of the Antilles”.

Source: Haiti: The First Black Republic Hardcover, Frantz Derenoncourt Jr., January 1, 2016, https://www.amazon.com/Haiti-Republic-Jr-Frantz-Derenoncourt/dp/0996541144

BUSINESS

Reginald Lewis, Founder of the 1^st Black-Owned Billion-Dollar Conglomerate

Born in Baltimore, Maryland (USA) on December 7, 1942, Reginald F. Lewis was a very successful African-American lawyer and businessman who excelled in the finance sector. In 1987, he acquired Beatrice International Foods for $985 million, renaming it TLC Beatrice International Holdings Inc., a snack food, beverage, and grocery store conglomerate. As a result of that transaction, Lewis created the first black-owned conglomerate to generate more than $1 billion in annualized revenues and inspired generations of black dealmakers on Wall Street.

In 1992, Lewis donated $3 million to Harvard Law School, the largest grant at the time in the school’s history. The school renamed its International Law Center the Reginald F. Lewis International Law Center, the first major facility at Harvard named in honor of an African-American.

Throughout his life, Reginald Lewis advocated for the creation of a museum of African American culture. As a result, his foundation donated a $5 million grant to support the 2005 opening of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture opened in Baltimore. Lewis was also counsel to the New York-based Commission for Racial Injustice.

Reginald F. Lewis died from brain cancer on January 19, 1993, at age 50.

Source: https://reginaldflewis.com/bio/ , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reginald_Lewis, and https://www.blackenterprise.com/inside-reginald-lewis-wall-street-billion-dollar-acquisition-beatrice-international/

POLITICS

WPP, Enhancing Women’s Political Participation

Enhancing Women’s Political Participation in Africa (Women in Political Participation (WPP)) is a Pan-African gender project on the different facets of Women and Politics in Africa. Funded by Sida and implemented by International IDEA, it aims to advance gender equality in politics and governance, in line with the Maputo Protocol of 2003, various associated sub-regional protocols and standards, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The project includes working with key institutions of democratic governance such as political parties, parliaments, and the media, amongst others, to build constituencies, alliances, norms, templates, and targets for reform and change towards greater women’s political participation.

Source: https://www.idea.int/news-media/news/enhancing-womens-political-participation-africa

LET’S GET INSPIRED

Maya Angelou on rising from defeat.

“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.”(Maya Angelou, American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist).

Source: https://suttida.com/50-inspirational-quotes-of-black-entrepreneurs-leaders/

President Samia Suluhu Hassan on the unity of women.

“My journey to Presidency has been testing my sisters. I am rallying for your support in elevating Tanzania to greater heights. Nothing is impossible for a woman; united we shall rise.” (Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of Tanzania).

Source: https://www.idea.int/news-media/news/enhancing-womens-political-participation-africa

Let’s get to work!

AfriKili

Akili ya Kiafrika ya Kuijenga Afrika Mpya!*** African Intelligence to Build a New Africa!*** Intelligence Africaine pour Construire une Nouvelle Afrique!”