RESOLUTION FOR BOARD MEETING OF MAY 18, 2023
Title
RESOLUTION sponsored by the Board of Commissioners recognizing May as Haitian Heritage Month
Body
WHEREAS, in numerous countries including the United States May is acknowledged as Haitian Heritage Month as an extension of the celebration of Haitian Flag Day, which is May 18th; and
WHEREAS, Haiti (formerly known as Saint Domingue), a country populated by descendants of Africa, many of whom arrived in the island nation as slaves, gained its independence from France on January 1, 1804. Renamed Haiti thereafter, it was the first republic formed by African descendants to overthrow its colonial ruler; and
WHEREAS, it is believed that the celebration of Haitian Heritage Month began in Boston, Massachusetts in the 1990s; and
WHEREAS, Chicago has profound ties with the Haitian community. Jean Baptiste Pointe Du Sable, the first non-indigenous resident and founder of the City of Chicago (1780) was Haitian. While Haitian migration to the Midwest was minuscule in the early 20th century, there are estimated to be approximately 40,000 Haitian Americans that reside in Chicago; and
WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District is humbled to recognize the Haitian community with its rich culture, diverse heritage, and unwavering resilience; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, on behalf of ourselves and our staff, do hereby recognize May as Haitian Heritage Month; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Resolution be spread upon the permanent Record of Proceedings of the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.
Dated: May 18, 2023