Savannah Monument by sculptor James Mastin. The monument is a tribute to Haitian soldiers who shed blood and died to save the U.S. Revolution in Savannah, Georgia in 1779
"HAITIAN HEROES" Painting by Haitian-American artist Smith Georges. The painting depicts Boukman, Toussaint Louverture, Dessalines, Petion and Christophe
The World and Democracy Time Warner Cable, MNN Published: October 30, 2009 Should Savannah Monument Be Black or Mulatto? By Smith Georges New York President Barack Obama, leader of the free world, whose mother was white, is proud to call himself “Black” or "African-American" not “Mulatto” Recently, someone opined in a forum that the Savannah monument didn't reflect a mulatto in the six statues that were depicted by sculptor James Mastin. She (the forum participant) did an excellent job by publishing names, ages and origins of free Haitians who participated in the "Battle of the Retreats" (also known as "The Day Haiti Saved the U.S. Revolution") in Savannah, Georgia in 1779; however dark skin Haitians call her "racist" because here in the U.S., Mulattoes, Blacks, Negros belong to the same category. Every Haitian should be proud of the Savannah monument. The world knows Haiti as "The First Black Independent Country of the New World" not as "The First Black and Mulatto country of the New World". Some Haitian mulattoes may see themselves as White while the rest of the world sees them as Black/Negro. In a bronze statue, everyone has the same complexion whether you are as black as charcoal or as white as snow. Painting is different. The artist can easily capture the complexion of a person with his/her palette as is the case in the attached painting where I depicted the Heroes (Boukman, Toussaint, Dessalines, Petion, Christophe) of Haiti's independence and Revolution. As far as why the sculptor, James Mastin, modeled two of the statues to the likeness of Rudolph Moise and Daniel Fils-Aime, I believe Mr. Mastin, the artist, was more interested in capturing the Haitian face and features. As a White person, He didn't see the difference between Black and Mulatto. Some people opined the resemblance is too striking to that of Rudolh Moise and Daniel Fils-Aime; but as an artist myself, I really think the sculptor James Mastin did an excellent job. After 230 years, a monument honoring the Haitian soldiers, who died and shed blood in Savannah, Georgia to resuscitate the U.S. Revolution, was finally unveiled. Another 230 years would have probably gone by had Rudoplh Moise, Daniel Fisl-Aime and the rest of the sponsors not taken action. In a statement written by courageous Richard Morse of the Haitian racine band RAM,he wrote that he is “BLACK” despite the fact that people in Haiti think he is White. Critics say some so-called Haitian Mulattoes are self-Hated Haitians. Some of them carry two different passports when traveling: one Haitian and one non-Haitian passports. Click on the link below to watch a video related to the Savannah monument by James Mastin and the painting by Smith Georges.
