THE BILL ITSELF

HR 8053

Jean-Jacques Dessalines Day

underlined language is being added; struck language is being deleted. Line numbers are the Legislature's own — the same ones amendments cite.

1 House Resolution

2 A resolution recognizing October 17, 2026, as "Jean-

3 Jacques Dessalines Day" in the State of Florida.

5 WHEREAS, Jean-Jacques Dessalines, regarded as one of the

6 founding fathers of Haiti, was born in 1758, and

7 WHEREAS, Jean-Jacques Dessalines served under the command

8 of acclaimed military leader Toussaint L'Ouverture during the

9 Haitian Revolution to fight for freedom from France, and

10 WHEREAS, when Toussaint L'Ouverture was deported to France

11 in 1802 by Napoleon's forces, Jean-Jacques Dessalines continued

12 the fight for freedom, and

13 WHEREAS, Jean-Jacques Dessalines served as Governor-General

14 of Saint-Domingue, which is now Haiti, and went on to serve as

15 the first ruler of an independent Haiti under the 1805

16 Constitution, and

17 WHEREAS, after freeing the colony from French rule, General

18 Jean-Jacques Dessalines proclaimed Haiti an independent country

19 on January 1, 1804, and

20 WHEREAS, Jean-Jacques Dessalines declared himself the first

21 emperor of Haiti in 1804, and

22 WHEREAS, under Jean-Jacques Dessalines, Haiti became the

23 first country in the Americas to permanently abolish slavery,

24 and

25 WHEREAS, according to Haitian historical tradition, Jean-

26 Jacques Dessalines created the first iteration of the Haitian

27 flag by taking a French flag, tearing out the white stripe, and

28 having a Haitian seamstress, Catherine Flon, sew together the

29 blue and red pieces of material to symbolize freedom and an end

30 to European influence, and

31 WHEREAS, Jean-Jacques Dessalines served as Emperor of Haiti

32 until his assassination during a military revolt on October 17,

33 1806, the anniversary of which is celebrated annually in Haiti

34 as Dessalines Day, and

35 WHEREAS, there is a strong connection between Haiti and

36 Florida, with hundreds of thousands of Haitian Americans

37 residing in South Florida, NOW, THEREFORE,

39 Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of

40 Florida:

42 That October 17, 2026, is designated as "Jean-Jacques

43 Dessalines Day" in the State of Florida.