The event “19. Anniversary of Unity” in Englewood celebrates Haitian independence and marks the 15th anniversary of the deadly Haiti earthquake

CHICAGO (WLS) – Sunday marks 15 years since a catastrophic earthquake struck Haiti, killing hundreds of thousands of people and causing billions of dollars in damage.

On Saturday evening, Haitian-Americans in the Chicago area came together to remember the lives lost while celebrating the independence of their homeland.

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The event “19. Anniversary of Unity” took place in Englewood, where the influence of the island nation on the creation of Chicago was explained.

January 1, 1804 was the day Haiti’s first president, Jean-Jacques Dessalines, helped liberate the country. The South Side event celebrated that liberation while marking the day 15 years ago when the country was rocked by one of the worst natural disasters in the Western Hemisphere.

Its culture goes back centuries.

“We are the first free black republic in the entire world,” said first-generation Haitian-American Cidney Francois-Friis. “We sparked revolutionary independence throughout South America and throughout Central America. So Haiti liberated itself, then it was Mexico, Ecuador, Peru.”

They hope to continue pride in their country for generations.

“You can’t forget where you come from,” said Patrick Brutus, co-chair and organizer of Unity Day.

At Kennedy-King College in Englewood, this effort was highlighted to learn about the history of the Chicago region, where about 40,000 Haitian Americans call home.

“We are celebrating the 221st anniversary of our Haitian independence,” said Cyndee Montes Newman, founder and executive director of Daughters of Haiti. “This is our 19th annual Unity Day. The community has the opportunity to come together to celebrate this independence, to eat our freedom soup or soup joumou together as a community and community.”

The liberation of the island nation in 1804 ultimately led to the creation of another city in 1837.

“Jean Baptiste Point du Sable of Haiti, Saint-Marc, founded Chicago, (And) “Discovered this area in the Midwest,” Brutus said.

The event also marked the 15th anniversary of the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti. For each of these years, a bell was rung to honor the hundreds of thousands of lives lost.

“The resilience of our people is truly strong,” Brutus said. “That’s the conclusion of tonight; We’re still here.”