( CNN ) -- Haiti 's poverty has been much discussed since its massive earthquake , but little has been said of its rich , and equally fraught , history . For African-Americans , Haiti 's tragedy hits close to home . For more than two centuries the tiny , at times fragile , republic has inspired black political activism in the United States . Born of the influence of the French and American revolutions , Haiti , once prized as the jewel of the French Empire , changed the course of its history by engineering a revolution that startled the world . Once a colony of slaves under French rule in the 18th century , Haiti transformed itself into the first black republic and one of the first nations in the Western Hemisphere to outlaw slavery . It is a breathtakingly inspirational story : Slaves revolted en masse in 1791 under the leadership of Toussaint L'Ouverture , a brilliant statesman and military strategist who was influenced by the Enlightenment ideals of universal freedom and citizenship . Ultimately , the rebels defeated Napoleon 's army and England before declaring independence in 1804 . The founders of the American Republic had celebrated the news of revolution in France , but news of the revolt in Haiti did n't receive the same applause . News of this successful revolution led by slaves reverberated across the Caribbean to the United States and brought chills up the spines of whites -- including President Thomas Jefferson , who deplored the revolution and despised the new republic 's existence . But it emboldened African-American slaves . Fears that Haiti 's successful revolt could inspire slave insurrections in the United States led to increased restrictions on the movements of blacks in Southern states . Coupled with concerns over the stability of slavery in Cuba , Haiti represented a powerful threat to the comfort , safety and security of the new American Republic . In antebellum America , and during the Civil War , black and white abolitionists saw Haiti as an example of the potential and possibilities of black political leadership . In many respects , Haiti 's liberation from French rule proved to be a high point , sadly followed by a seemingly endless cycle of economic poverty , foreign intervention -- including American occupation from 1915 to 1934 -- government corruption , and dictatorships . Yet there is another , equally important aspect of Haitian history , one that black Americans identify with deeply . During the period of antebellum slavery and after , Haiti profoundly impacted the imagination of African-American political activism . On the eve of the Civil War , Frederick Douglass spoke for most African-Americans when he referred to the `` bright example '' of Haiti . He called Toussaint Louverture `` the noble liberator and law-giver of his brave and dauntless people . '' Douglass and other blacks considered Toussaint one of the greatest self-made men of the 19th century . Caribbean migration to the United States , beginning in the early 20th century , transformed black political activism . Immigrants such as Marcus Garvey and Hubert Harrison emerged as street speakers in Harlem . And the Haitian Revolution remained a touchstone for radical black political activists . C.L.R . James , a Trinidadian-born author and activist , wrote a 1939 history of the revolt , `` The Black Jacobins , '' that remains a classic in Africana Studies scholarship . The immigration of Haitians in increasing numbers after the passage of major immigration reform in 1965 has allowed Haitian culture to establish critical beachheads in cities such as New York , Boston , and Miami . Haiti 's culture -- its food , music , flag , and proud revolutionary tradition -- resonates alongside of contemporary African-American culture . The popularity of hip hop musician Wyclef Jean , the proliferation of Haitian sports stars , and the prevalence of Kreyol [ Haitian Creole ] words such as `` Sa k ' Pase '' in rap music attest to Haiti 's influence . As the Haitian people prepare to rebuild their republic , we would do well to remember that the tragedy of Haiti is not a failure of black power but ultimately the frustration of it , one that involves mistakes by not only Haitians but by Western powers as well , including the United States . Haitians are the descendants of the great black revolution for liberation , imbued with a history of wrestling with crises . The spirit of the Haitian people is resilient and resourceful . These values will serve them well even during this unimaginable devastation . The Haitian people can also take comfort in the knowledge that African-Americans continue to find deep kinship , one forged in the shared crucible of slavery as well as heroic resistance against this system , in their current plight and efforts to rebuild Port-au-Prince . The opinions in this commentary are solely those of Peniel E. Joseph .
Peniel Joseph : For 200 years , Haitian revolution has inspired black activism in the U.S. Joseph : The Black Panther Party was founded by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale. Haitians are descendants of revolution , with a resilient , resourceful spirit , Joseph says . Haitians ' kinship with African-Americans lies in slavery and heroic resistance , he says .