 When the Haitian Revolution ended and the people of Haiti won their independence in 1804 and established the world's first black republic, thousands of refugees from the revolution, both whites and free people of color ("affranchis" or "gens de couleur libres"), fled to New Orleans, often bringing African slaves with them, "doubling" the city's population.They also introduced such Haitian specialties as the "red beans and rice" and mirliton (or called chayote; a pear-shaped vegetable) to the Louisiana Creole cuisine.Since independence from France, the French influence has remained evident in the Haitian society, not only in the usage of the language but in the contributions to the cuisine.