Introduction
In 2013, I (Virginie) launched the Haitian History Blog on Tumblr with the intention of creating a platform for lively, yet scholarly-based discussions about Haiti. The goal was never to transform it into a rigid academic endeavor, nor to cover every facet of Haiti’s complex history. Over time, however, the blog evolved from its initial format into a resource-sharing hub aimed at encouraging further research. Today, it stands as an amateur digital humanities project that continues to carve out its niche within the landscape of online resources on Haitian history.

I was fortunate enough not to undertake this project alone. Then, just like now, I have been able to count on key individuals for their insight. Today, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge their help and delve into the reasons that inspired my co-contributors to join and/or continue their work on this blog, to question the idea of producing “scholarship” on the internet, and to explore what it means to engage in a digital humanities project about Haiti during this current time of crisis.

QUESTION 1

As the situation in Haiti has become critical, particularly since the first few months of 2024, some of the same narratives about the “poorest country in the Western hemisphere” have been resurrected in the traditional press and by commentators on social media. Some would say that “everything has been tried” and that Haiti is a “hopeless” country, one “outside of civilization” (as one famous political scientist once said). Given this general pessimism, why, in your relatively comfortable position in the U.S., do you continue to be interested in Haiti? Why be interested in its history?

David: The answer to this is two-fold. My interest in Haïti began from hearing stories about this welcoming place that my exiled elders would discuss and where my childhood brain would revel in and embellish. I was raised to be proud of my Haitian roots because of our history. The 2010 earthquake made me sharply aware of the negative narratives about Haïti being mainstream, beyond the average racist I knew. I still want to fight pessimistic and degrading narratives on Haïti because they are deeply rooted in eugenics and imperial domination of the nation. Who are those narratives for? What purpose do they serve? The answer always leads to and blindly accepts foreign tutelage of Haitians, while seeking to strangle their sovereignty as a vigorous, autonomous state. As history proves, these narratives are nothing new.

I deeply believe it’s the duty of any person who identifies with Haïti, it’s revolution and history, or has a cultural affiliation with the country, to defend it. One must stand for humanity and the radical solidarity that our culture has shown at its best. If we, who love Haïti do not stand for Haïti, who will?

QUESTION 2
What do you envision your role being in this blog? What topics are you particularly interested in exploring? Are there any areas in scholarship that you feel are lacking or overlooked?

David: I envision my role in this blog being multifaceted. First, I see it as a means to highlight the grand projects that Haitians like Rosalvo Bobo wanted to create for the country: national rail, national irrigation, electricity- things that can be achieved in my lifetime! I do so in the hopes to show that Haitians have and continue to envision a shared future for the country that welcomes rather than rejects its rural agglomerations and bourg-marché tapestry that underpinned Haïti’s success during the 19th century. That century in particular fascinates me the most and opens the door for so many lenses to interpret today’s Haïti.
I also seek to respond to current narratives about Haïti in media. Haïti is popular on Youtube, twitter, and in academia. People are hungry for content, but not much of it that exists in English is very – if at all- accurate. 19th century Haïti also offers strong responses to anti-Haitian discourse.

I’d like to offer a historical approach that humanizes and contextualizes the nation. One framing I often use based on my academic training, builds upon scholarship on US foreign policy toward Latin America.

QUESTION 3
Blogs are typically by nature more informal modes of communication and “scholarship” production. How do you perceive the balance between maintaining a conversational/accessible tone and ensuring some rigor and accuracy expected in more traditional academic discourse? What strategies do you employ to navigate this balance effectively? Could you share your opinion on whether you think the work we do (or will do) on this blog qualifies as “scholarship”? Should it be regarded as such?

David: This project should be easily legible to both an academic and non-academic audience as I seek to accurately counter rampant anti-Haitian narratives that find their way across platforms from YouTube all the way to more legacy news media calling for another invasion of Haïti. I want all my work to be grounded by academic scholarship and knowledge, as that makes the difference between this project and similar works that share Haitian history online. Considering my goals and my schedule, every other post will not be about the 19th century or geard toward an academic audience. I seek to keep a 60/40 balance.

As far as strategy, my context as working in a non-academic job allows me to bounce ideas with a curious audience that is already reluctant to read a more formal text. My posts will reflect this conversational tone, while keeping sources to links for persons interested in further research. Because I despise monotony, I’m excited to write more academic posts from time to time!

As stated above, we agree that this blog should maintain a level of academic rigor and accuracy. I think we should serve as a standard, and as such our blog should qualify as “scholarship.” Ideas are meant to be shared, and our unique views, but common love for Haïti should be a resource for scholars to better understand Haitian history.

QUESTION 4
Digital humanities projects have proliferated in the last fifteen to twenty years, with scholars increasingly turning to digital technologies to analyze and present information. Historians, in particular, have utilized text analysis, geographic information systems (GIS), and the creation of digital archives to advance interdisciplinary research. While this blog operates on a much smaller scale compared to institutional projects, it can still be regarded as a digital humanities endeavor in its own right. What does it mean to you to engage in a digital humanities project focused on Haiti amidst the current crisis?

David:  Focusing on Haïti in the midst of this crisis is exciting because people are increasingly curious about the county and this gives us an opportunity to accurately inform persons on its history. It’s so sad that so many Haitians I meet do not know their heroes of the 19th to early 20th century. Perhaps by shining light on movements and strategies from the past, they can chart a solution to the crisis and the inevitable period that will succeed it. 

Also, the discourse around the crisis, has racialized many in the Diaspora as “Haitians” and they in particular are more online in popular English and Spanish speaking spaces than most Haitians on the island. It would serve them well to honestly be able to speak about Haïti and be able to place this crisis in the greater geopolitical contexts. For example, while mainstream narratives talk about gangs and seek to reinforce stymying Haitian sovereignty, very few texts note that US arms companies benefit massively by selling to the privatized port owners in Haïti. The source of the violence -as Haïti does not manufacture bullets- is often intentionally missing in mainstream press. 

I’m equally excited to work on digital humanities project because historians are not on digital platforms enough! I want more Haitian historian voices, particularly those from the island, to serve as sources on TikTok or WhatsApp, rather than wikipedia or reactionary content. The past fifteen years of digital works have been encouraging, but the people want more accessible, historically accurate content!

QUESTION 5
I find that a self-reflective approach to scholarship and blogging can be beneficial. I have insisted on the idea of “crisis” throughout this exchange. I wonder if it helps capture the particular social and historical juncture in which Haiti is presently, or if it contributes to further stigmatize a country, which, as scholar Gina Athena Ulysse (2015) said, needs new narratives. What is your position on this conundrum?

David: Self-reflection is key, and I agree with Ulysse that Haïti needs new narratives. As well, we must have a sober approach of the very ugly situation that Haïti is in, where its central institutions are under attack and there exists little to no state structure. People are being displaced and rural life has been suffering several cuts by corrupt paramilitaries to foreign multinationals. Traditional cultural and religious organizations have faced a wave of attacks since 2010. Haïti needs to act! In that sense, labeling this conjuncture as a crisis is accurate.

Yet, we as historians have the opportunity to frame this crisis in context with the hopes of creating new narratives and solutions. For the majority of Haitians, crisis has not always been de-jure. Struggles, yes, but these types of crises are new and one must be sober about why and how. Since 1915, Haïti has been made to provide manual labor for projects along the Eastern Atlantic coast. As well, since then, there have been increasing state crises with foreign support whenever popular social movements arise. Note that few still discuss today about the PetroCaribe scandal (Kot Kòb Petro Karibe a?). To resolve the fevering swelter of crisis outbreaks, one must resolve the source of the infection. By contextualizing today’s mass exodus from neighborhoods that were once popular hubs of resistance or key to national transportation, for example, I hope readers see today’s crisis as a result of decades of policy that also have birthed decades of Haitian resistance.