Jacksonville residents celebrate Haitian Flag Day

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — As you’re driving around today, you might see Haitian flags waving from car windows; perhaps you will see people dressed wearing red and blue. That’s because today is Haitian Flag Day.

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Haitians or Haitian-Americans celebrate the day the nation’s flag was created on May 18, 1803.

Florida is home to more than half a million Haitian-Americans. That’s more than any other state in the nation.

After Haiti’s tragic earthquake in 2010, thousands of Haitians immigrated to Florida to seek refuge. Haitians are still fleeing the island-nation as a result of nonstop deadly protests, political unrest and kidnappings following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse on July 7, 2021.

Here in Jacksonville, we have a growing Haitian community. We now have dozens of Haitian churches and business on the Westside and Northside.

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