Burkina Faso Adds Haitian History to Its School Curriculum

Burkina Faso has added Haitian history to its school curriculum as part of a reform aimed at giving greater prominence to African historical references and the struggle against colonial rule.

According to several media outlets, including BBC Afrique, a lesson devoted to Haiti will teach Burkinabè students about the 1791 uprising in Saint-Domingue and the proclamation of Haitian independence on January 1, 1804. That victory made Haiti the first independent Black republic born of a successful slave revolt.

The initiative is part of a broader overhaul of the history, geography and civics curricula. Burkinabè authorities want, in particular, to better highlight the African continent’s historical landmarks and rethink how the colonial period is presented to students.

New figures and historical perspectives

Other announced changes include adding the Kurukan Fuga Charter, associated with the history of the Mali Empire, to the curriculum. The vocabulary used in some lessons is also being revised, notably replacing the word “explorers” with “invaders.”

For Haiti, the initiative shines a new light on an important chapter of its history. After winning independence in 1804 through a revolution that ended slavery and French colonial rule, the country faced heavy financial demands from its former colonial power.

In 1825, France imposed an indemnity of 150 million francs on Haiti to compensate former colonists, notably for the loss of their property and of the people they had enslaved. To pay it, Haiti had to take out loans that weakened its finances for generations and weighed on its economic development.

Burkina Faso’s decision to teach Haitian history is a reminder that the events of January 1, 1804, reach far beyond Haiti’s borders. The Haitian Revolution holds a major place in the global history of the struggle against slavery and colonial domination.

Moïse François

Translated from the original French by the Hebdo24 newsroom.