Tale of Haiti's oppressive history will break your heart

I have always admired Randall Robinson. But forget about Robinson's praise of Jean-Bertrand Aristide and concentrate on the history of events in Haiti, which has made it one of the poorest countries on Earth, and the involvement of the United States and France.

C-Span 2 broadcast Mr. Robinson's book presentation, what will break your heart for Haiti: Watch it if you can on the C-SPAN Bookmark Program:

An Unbroken Agony: Haiti, From Revolution to the Kidnapping of a President
Author: Randall Robinson

Upcoming Schedule

Sunday, October 14, at 4:30 PM

About the Program

Randall Robinson talks about the history of Haiti and the Haitian people from the arrival of Columbus in late 1492 to the ouster of President Aristide in 2004. Mr. Robinson spoke at Hue-Man Bookstore in Harlem.
About the Author
Randall Robinson, founder and past president of TransAfrica, is the author of several books, including "The Debt" and "Quitting America." For more, visit randallrobinson.com.
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An Unbroken Agony: Haiti, From Revolution to the Kidnapping of a President
by Randall Robinson

Book Description

On February 29th, 2004 the democratically elected president of Haiti, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, was forced to leave his country. The twice elected President was kidnapped, along with his Haitian-American wife, American soldiers and flown, against his will, to the isolated Central African Republic. Although the American government has denied ousting Aristide it was clear that the Haitian people's most recent attempt at self-determination had not been crushed by Haitian paramilitaries as Washington claimed.

In An Unbroken Agony, bestselling author and social justice advocate Randall Robinson explores the heroic and tragic history of Haiti. He traces the history of a people forced across the Atlantic in chains; recounting their spectacularly successful slave revolt against France and the two hundred years of reprisals that would follow. The fate of Aristide's presidency is tied to this people's century-long quest for self-determination and his removal from power exposes the apartheid-like forces that frustrate these aspirations even today.

Robinson majestically chronicles the convulsive history of this island nation--from Columbus's arrival to the fearlessness of the slave revolutionaries who defeated the armies of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1804, wresting from France the most valuable colony of any European power anywhere in the world; from the ideals of the young republic, to the foreign backed dictators who corrupted those ideals, culminating in the American led operation removing from power Haiti's first democratically elected president and his entire government in 2004.

Robinson captures the pride and courage of the Haitian people in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. With his passionate prose, Robinson brings alive the powerful memory of the Haitian revolution in the souls of ordinary citizens and shows the boundless desire of all Haitians to chart their own destiny--free of foreign interference.

Editorial Reviews:

From Publishers Weekly

The title promises a history of Haiti, but Robinson (The Debt, etc.) delivers a brief for former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide and an excoriation of American policies and actions related to his exile. The portrait of Aristide borders on hagiography: Of all the public Christians I have known personally, Aristide led a life that emulated the implacable Christ whose sympathies for the poor Aristide had since childhood taken to heart. The Americans, meanwhile, are largely portrayed as evil: American officials had armed and directed the thugs, organized an unelected and unelectable opposition, and choked the Haitian economy into dysfunctional penury. Robinson's righteous outrage often turns to rant, and his passionate, partisan account veers into repetition, without providing adequate context for his ire. He offers minute descriptions of Artistide's abduction to the Central African Republic in September 1994, his flight and the efforts to save and relocate him, but spends little time on Aristide's governance as Haiti's first democratically elected leader. For the uninitiated, Haiti must appear to be a bewildering stew of obscure and violent events, Robinson writes. How sad that he did not use these pages to clarify the broth. (Aug.)

From Booklist

Outspoken to the point of controversy, activist Robinson boldly addresses the dire consequences of centuries of racism, most famously arguing for reparations to African Americans for slavery in The Debt (2000). Here he focuses his penetrating attention, vigorous analysis, and drum-roll eloquence on crimes against Haiti. A searing overview of Haitian history and the reasons behind the black nation's persistent poverty and isolation is followed by a riveting account of the 2004 coup against President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a former humanitarian priest "twice overwhelmingly elected president by the poor." Robinson marshals strong evidence to support his belief that the Bush administration engineered Aristide's removal, and he has firsthand knowledge of the debacle. As friends of the Aristides, Robinson and his wife were in contact with the couple just before they were hustled off to the Central African Republic. Two weeks later, Robinson accompanied U.S. congresswoman Maxine Waters on a daring rescue mission that resulted in the Aristides finding temporary asylum in Jamaica. Robinson's dramatic account makes it clear that many questions remain unanswered. Seaman, Donna

From the Publisher

Randall Robinson is a towering freedom fighter in the world of ideas and action. This poignant history of his beloved Haiti reminds us of his indispensable voice for our turbulent times." -- Cornel West, Princeton University

"Randall Robinson's courageous and dedicated work for justice and freedom has been an inspiration. It is therefore with great pleasure and anticipation that I learned of his new book on the tortured country of Haiti, which we have done so much to torment and devastate since it became the first free country of free men in the hemisphere over 200 years ago, continuing up to the present. It is sure to be another contribution of fundamental importance." -- Noam Chomsky, Institute Professor & Professor of Linguistics, MIT and author of Hegemony or Survival and Failed States

"There are few voices that consistently rise above the din of punditry to speak up for those who are powerless. Randall Robinson is one such voice. With unimpeachable dignity and steadfast determination, Robinson's eloquent prose brings attention to the plight of Haitians over the centuries in much the same way that he once brought people together to attack the vicious system of apartheid in South Africa. Displaying bravery both in the writing of this book as well as in his own actions detailed within, Robinson gives new life to heroes from Haiti's revolutionary past and takes to task present day villains still patrolling the corridors of power in Washington, D.C." -- Michael Eric Dyson, author of Debating Race and Come Hell or High Water

"With each new book Randall Robinson further cements his reputation as one of this world's foremost advocates for freedom and justice. In An Unbroken Agony, Robinson charts the heroic and tragic history of Haiti and exposes the truth about those international power brokers who would take away two of our most precious resources: knowledge of our past and the ability to determine our future." -- Henry Louis Gates, Jr., W. E. B. Du Bois Professor of the Humanities, Harvard University

About the Author

Randall Robinson is the author of the national bestsellers The Debt, The Reckoning, and Defending the Spirit. He is also founder and past president of TransAfrica, the African-American organization he established to promote enlightened, constructive U.S. policies toward Africa and the Caribbean. In 1984, Robinson established the Free South Africa Movement, which pushed successfully for the imposition of sanctions against apartheid South Africa; and in 1994, his public advocacy, including a 27-day hunger strike, led to the UN multinational operation that restored Haiti's first democratically elected-government to power. Mr. Robinson lives with his wife and daughter in St. Kitts.