How many generations to be considered of Haitian descent? How to know if you are of Haitian descent

I was reviewing one of the comments made about Stephen Curry on this website, an American basketball player in the NBA who happens to be of Haitian descent. So I decided to clarify what it means to be of Haitian descent once and for all.


Wyclef Jean Holding His Green Card And Haitian Passport

One of the commentators asked how deep were we trying to go in order to link Curry to his Haitian descendants or are we just trying to bring more views to our website. He thinks that's why we link Stephen Curry to being of Haitian descent.

Let's clarify something right now:

If you are of Haitian descent in America, no matter how many generations ago, it means you are Haitian-American.

Being Haitian-American means you are an American and a descendant of one or two Haitian immigrants who migrated to the United States at some point in time. There is no upper limit in terms of the number of generations.

If you are born to Haitian parents, Haitian grandparents or great grandparents you are of Haitian descent. Whether or not you show some pride for your Haitian heritage that is entirely up to you.

In the case of Stephen Curry, his grandmother was Haitian-born. That makes his mother, himself, his children, his children's children Haitian-American.

Did you know that in Italy citizenship by descent is possible for any individual born to Italian parents, grandparents or great grandparents? It doesn't matter how many number of generations.

Yes, anyone with Italian ancestry or Italian blood, no matter how far back, can claim Italian citizenship by decent.

It is a concept called "jus sanguinis", or jure sanguinis in Italy, meaning right of blood.

Under this concept, a person can acquire citizenship through their parents or ancestors (your blood line).

If the Republic of Haiti was being led by intelligent individuals, just like descendants of Italians can claim citizenship by descent, the same would be true in Haiti. A great Haitian leader would make Haitian citizenship by descent possible for all descendants of Haitians around the world with no exception and no one left behind.

We have a multitude of Haitian descendants who are professionals from all walks of life in other parts of the world who cannot claim their rights in Haiti and therefore cannot serve their native country because they are no longer considered Haitian citizens.

I really hate it when I'm in Haiti and people are calling me a diaspora or telling me I am not Haitian simply because I also carry a US passport.

If they are saying this about me who was born in Haiti and became a US citizen, what will they say about my children or my grandchildren? Are they not Haitian too because their daddy or their granddaddy is Haitian-born?

Haiti needs these prodigal citizens for the change that we are looking for in our country.

Note: the alternate concept of citizenship of a person is determined by the place where that person was born. It is called "jus soli" which means law of the soil. Like the United States for example. It doesn't matter if your parents are immigrants, legal or illegal, if you are born in the United States you become a US citizen automatically. It's the law of the land and the most common means a person acquires citizenship of a nation.

Is Haitian citizenship Jus Sanguinis of Jus Soli?

Article 11 of the Haitian Constitution state: "Any person born of a Haitian father or Haitian mother who are themselves native-born Haitians and have never renounced their nationality possesses Haitian nationality at the time of birth."

Since Constitution does not mention that the person has to be born on Haitian soil but instead be born of a Haitian father or mother, sounds to me like Haitian citizenship is jus sanguinis.

Sounds to me like all the stateless children living in the Dominican Republic of Haitian descent are Haitian citizens as well besides what the Dominican Republic thinks of them being a Dominican citizen or not.

Now that part about renouncing your nationality is pure politics and Haitians in the Diaspora need to force politicians at home to fix this, it needs to be removed from the Haitian Constitution and changed forever so that everyone of Haitian blood can claim their Haitian citizenship.

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All Comments (3)

Jean Francois Turenne says...

We should start a petition to claim our

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Joseph F Gourgue Sr says...

Man, listen, the problem is not only Haitian citizenship or whether a person born here in the US is or is not of Haitian descent.

More importantly, it is really elementary.

First, it's much more important that Haitians here in the diaspora organize themselves and make sure these so-called elected officials in Haiti respect us that are living in the Diaspora.

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Woody says...

Si Repiblik Ayiti te dirije pa moun entèlijan, menm jan desandan Italyen yo ka reklame sitwayènte pa desandan, menm bagay la ta dwe vre an Ayiti.

Yon gwo lidè ayisyen ta rann sitwayènte ayisyen pa desandan posib pou tout desandan ayisyen atravè lemond san okenn eksepsyon e pa kite pèsonn dèyè.

Nou gen yon pakèt desandan ayisyen ki se pwofesyonèl ki soti nan tout domèn nan lòt kote nan mond lan ki pa ka reklame dwa yo ann Ayiti e ki donk pa ka sèvi peyi natif natal yo paske yo pa konsidere yo kòm sitwayen ayisyen ankò.

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