Roots, Rhythm, and the Red and Blue: May Is Haitian Pride Month

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June 3, 2026 | Written By: Dr. Darline Wilkenson

There is something sacred about May for Haitian people. Not just because the flowers bloom or the season shifts, but because May carries within it the weight of who we are, where we came from, and how far we have come. Two moments in this month alone remind us that being Haitian is not simply a nationality. It is a calling, a legacy, and a declaration.

May 18th: 223 Years of the Flag

On May 18, 1803, at the Congress of Arcahaie, Catherine Flon took a French tricolor, tore out the white band that represented colonial oppression, and sewed together the blue and the red. In that single act of courage and creativity, a symbol was born that would outlast empires, outlast dictators, and outlast every force that has tried to diminish the Haitian spirit.

Two hundred and twenty-three years later, that flag still flies.

It flies in the hands of children who have never set foot on Haitian soil but know in their bones that they belong to something great. It flies in diaspora communities across Atlanta, Miami, New York, Montreal, and Paris. It flies in the hearts of every Haitian who woke up this May 18th and felt that quiet, unshakeable pride that no one can explain to you unless they already carry it.

The flag is not just a piece of cloth. It is a covenant. Blue for the union of Black and mixed-race people, red for the blood that was shed so that we could be free. Free not just from France, but free as a testimony to the entire world that Black people were not meant to be enslaved. Haiti did not just win its independence. Haiti changed the moral geography of the planet.

On this 223rd anniversary, we must do more than post a flag on social media. We must tell the story. Tell it to our children at dinner tables. Tell it in our churches, our schools, our community gatherings. Tell it in English, in French, and in Haitian Creole. The flag means nothing if the generation after us does not know what it cost.

So this May 18th, let us pause. Let us give thanks. Let us recommit ourselves to carrying that legacy forward with the same boldness Catherine Flon carried her needle and thread.

May 23rd: Haiti Celebrated at the 39th Atlanta Caribbean Carnival

If May 18th belongs to history, then May 23rd, 2026, belongs to the present, and it was glorious.

The 39th Atlanta Caribbean Carnival brought together the colors, rhythms, and cultures of the Caribbean in a celebration that reminded everyone in attendance why this community is a gift to the city of Atlanta. And this year, Haiti was not just present. Haiti was recognized.

To see Haitian culture represented on that stage, in that procession, in those costumes and those rhythms, was to witness something that goes beyond entertainment. It was affirmation. It was a message to the broader community that Haiti is not a story of tragedy alone. Haiti is a story of beauty, artistry, resilience, and joy. Haiti is Soca and Kompa. Haiti is the crack of a rara band coming around the corner. Haiti is bold color and unashamed celebration.

The Caribbean community in Atlanta has built something remarkable over 39 years. And when Haiti is honored within that space, it is a reminder that we are not isolated. We are part of a larger family of island nations whose histories are intertwined, whose struggles share common roots, and whose celebrations are most powerful when they are shared.

For the Haitian community specifically, being seen at events like the Atlanta Caribbean Carnival matters deeply. It counters the narrow narratives that too often reduce Haiti to a headline. It puts the full, vibrant truth of Haitian culture on display for neighbors, visitors, and the next generation of Haitian young people who need to see themselves celebrated, not just pitied.

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May Belongs to Us

These two moments, one rooted in 1803 and one unfolding on the streets of Atlanta in 2026, are not separate events. They are part of the same continuous story. A story that says: we were here. We fought. We created. We celebrated. We endured. And we are still here.

As a community, we must use this month intentionally. Attend the events. Support the Haitian-owned businesses. Educate those around you. Wear the colors. Speak the language. And above all, pass it down.

Because that flag did not sew itself. And this community did not build itself. Both took the hands, the hearts, and the courage of people who refused to let Haiti be forgotten.

May we never be the generation that forgets.

Dr. Darline Wilkenson is a columnist and the host of Saw Dwe Konnen (What You Ought To Know), a trilingual podcast dedicated to community education and empowerment. She serves as the CAO of Haiti On Demand Media Network, a community-based media platform providing coverage for cultural events, with particular focus on serving minority communities. Through #DrDeeSpeaks, she creates inspirational content centered on awareness, advocacy, and action.