Black History Month: Celebration of a Haitian-American for his universal song
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Even though the Black History Month is supposed to be an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history, we also take pride in this setting to celebrate the country that freed all slaves in this continent, Haiti, which started the military revolts and battles that led to freedom for all Blacks in this hemisphere. Haiti is still paying for having dared doing that. Thus, the fight for complete freedom for that country is still going despite all kind of interferences from outside.
Our objective here is to talk about Haiti and its descendants whenever we get a chance to shed the light on the Haitian struggle for its recovery and lasting development.
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Français
Même si le Mois de l'histoire des Noirs est censé être une célébration annuelle des réalisations des Afro-Américains et un moment pour reconnaître leur rôle central dans l'histoire des États-Unis. NOUS sommes également fiers dans ce cadre pour célébrer le pays qui a libéré en quelque sorte tous les esclaves de ce continent, Haïti, qui a déclenché les révoltes militaires et les batailles qui ont conduit à la liberté de tous les Noirs de cet hémisphère. Haïti paie encore pour avoir osé faire cela. Ainsi, la lutte pour la liberté complète de ce pays se poursuit malgré toutes sortes d'ingérences extérieures.
Notre objectif ici est de parler d'Haïti quand nous aurons l'occasion de faire pour faire la lumière sur la lutte haïtienne pour son relèvement et développement durable.
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Spanish
Aunque el Mes de la Historia Negra está destinado a ser una celebración anual de los logros de los afroamericanos y un momento para reconocer su papel fundamental en la historia de los Estados Unidos. También estamos orgullosos en este marco de celebrar al país que de alguna manera liberó a todos los esclavos de este continente, Haití, que desencadenó las revueltas militares y las batallas que llevaron a la libertad de todos los negros en este hemisferio. Haití todavía está pagando por atreverse a hacer esto. Así, la lucha por la completa libertad de este país continúa a pesar de todo tipo de injerencias externas.
Nuestro objetivo aquí es hablar de Haití cuando tengamos la oportunidad de arrojar luz sobre la lucha haitiana por su recuperación y su desarrollo sostenible.
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DID YOU KNOW:
Michel Mauléart Monton (1855–1898),[1] was a Haitian musician, pianist and composer. He became famous for composing the music for the méringue classic, choucoune (known as Yellow Bird in the English version)[2][3]
Biography
Michel Mauléart Monton was born in New Orleans, Louisiana to a Haitian father and an American mother.[4] His father was Emilien Monton, had emigrated to Louisiana where he was a tailor. For family reasons, Michel Mauléart Monton was raised in Haiti by his older sister, Odila Monton, who owned a shop on the Rue du Magasin de l'Etat in Port-au-Prince. Subsequently, he attended music classes with Toureau Lechaud who was a well-respected Haitian musician[1] and taught him the piano.[3]
His musical style was a compendium of multiple influences, a musical melting pot in which he drew the charm of the rich tropical nature of Haiti, surrealism and a mixture of African music of Haitian religion, Vodou, and European classical music. He combined these influences to compose many musical pieces.[3]
Michel Mauléart Monton is best known for putting the music méringue on the air with a poem by Haitian poet Oswald Durand called Choucoune, that had been written ten years earlier in 1883. This song was played in public for the first time in Port-au-Prince on May 14, 1893. On a slow pace and light méringue which was nicknamed "Ti zwazo" or "Ti zwezo" (French: Little bird). Choucoune was an immediate success both in Haiti and abroad, and was taken in the years 1950 to the United States under the name "Yellow bird."[
Source: Wikipedia
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