Happy month of May! We love May because it is the month we celebrate Haitian Flag day.
The Haitian revolution was one of the greatest battles in all of history.Haiti defeated France, Spain and England to gain its independence on January 1st 1804. Behind the well-known leaders of this revolution, are many brave and skilled individuals who each played a fundamental role. Today, we will share 3 facts about the woman behind the first Haitian flag, symbol of this revolution, Catherine Flon.
Painting by Haitian Artist Patrick Noze
Catherine Flon developed her skills as a seamstress and practiced nursing. She opened a sewing workshop in the city of Arcahaie to teach young girls how to sew so they could support themselves.
The Haitian Revolution began on August 21, 1791, and Katherine’s family was one of the many families to flee their homes seeking refuge from the revolution. Katherine stayed behind to help with the revolution. The majority of her service in the revolution was in the capacity of a nurse attending to the wounds of soldiers.
After Dessalines ripped the white stripe out of the French flag, Catherine’s team, overseen by general Clerveau, started gathering ideas. The original Haitian flag sewn by Catherine Flon was the vertical red and blue stripes sewn together after Dessalines ripped out the white stripe. That day was May 18, 1803, which is now commemorated as Haitian Flag Day.