Today on Sojourner Truth:
We've been on the ground in Haiti's capital city, Port-au-Prince. Today, we bring you the first of our in-depth reports.
There has been a long struggle for access to education in Haiti. Following the Haitian Revolution that defeated the French Army and established the first Black republic in the world " leading the way for the ending of slavery in the Americas " in order to trade internationally, Haiti was forced to pay reparations to France. This, for the cost of the revolution as well as for the loss of their slave labor. Haiti continued to pay reparations until after World War 2. Due to that, as well as decades of economic sanctions imposed by the U.S., Haiti was denied the necessary resources to build needed infrastructure in schools. So, for much of its history, it was only Haiti's elite that had access to school.
So, it was particularly significant that on Sunday, March 31, we were able to attend the graduation of the University of the Aristide Foundation, known as UNIFA. The graduates included students from the schools of medicine, nursing, physical therapy and law. In a packed auditorium with overflowed crowds, parents, family members and loved ones gathered. This was more than a graduation. It represented a remarkable milestone.
You will hear the words of student leaders, Dr. Jean-Bertrand Aristide, faculty and also an exclusive interview with Mildred Aristide, the former first lady of Haiti and a member of the Board of Governors of UNIFA.
