Take our quiz during Black History Month and discover some of the little-known history and wonderful contributions that Haiti and Haitians have made to our world. (See below for the answers.)

1.  By 1804, Haiti was a global leader in the production of which product(s)?

1. Sugar
2. Coffee
3. Cacao
4. Cotton
5. All of the above

2.  The Haitian Revolution is the world’s only successful slave revolt.

1. True
2. False

3.  The Battle of Savannah, Georgia in 1779 was one of the bloodiest battles during the American Revolutionary War. How many Haitian troops joined the battle in support of American independence?

1. 25
2. 500
3. 800
4. none

4.  What type of music is Haitian Twoubadou?

1. Christian worship music
2. Folk music developed in the early 20th century
3. Lively street music played during Carnival
4. Roots music that combines vodou music and folklore music
5. Music that fuses African rhythms, European ballroom dancing, and more

5. The Citadelle, built between 1806 and 1820 by a newly independent Haiti to protect its citizens if the French attempted to retake the nation, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982. It is the largest fortress in the Americas.

1. True
2. False

6. With a massive cave system of more than four kilometers (two-and-a-half miles), Haiti's Grotte Marie Jeanne is the deepest cave in the Caribbean.

1. True
2. False

7. Claudette Werleigh became Haiti's first female prime minister in 1995. In what other capacities has she served in her professional life?

1. Chemist
2. Physiologist
3. Secretary General of Haiti National Caritas
4. Haiti's Minister of Social Affairs
5. All of the above

8. Which of the following Haitian-American artists came to the U.S. as a 6-year-old Creole-speaking immigrant and in 2019 exhibited for the first time at Art Basel Miami Beach?

1. Jean-Michel Basquiat
2. Ulrick Jean-Pierre
3. Didier William
4. Philome Obin

9. Which of the following Haitian singers is known as the “Joni Michell of Haiti” and sang her version of “Many Rivers to Cross” at a Global Benefit for Haiti Earthquake Relief?

1. Emeline Michel
2. TeaMarr
3. Misty Jean
4. Melissa Laveaux

10. What is a Nèg Mawon?

1. A person who escaped from slavery
2. A fighter who helped defeat slavery
3. A symbol of black liberation
4. All of the above

How do you think you did? Check your answers below.

The students and faculty of the University of Fondwa are proud to be creating Haitian history right now, as the country's first rural university and first school of veterinary medicine.

Happy Black History Month! 

Answers: (with links to sources)

1. e; 2. a; 3. c; 4. b; 5. a; 6. a; 7. e; 8. c; 9. a; 10. d