The Haitian American scholar reveals her journey from a California upbringing deep into Haitian history, unearthing “Haitianists” along the way, meeting the complex “First and Last King of Haiti” in archives across continents and, now, looking into her own family’s roots.
May. 23, 2025
BROOKLYN — Historian Marlene Daut’s latest tome, “The First and Last King of Haiti: The Rise and Fall of Henry Christophe,” took her 15 years to research, write and release. The King appears to have been worth the wait, coming at a time when Haitians face distorted narratives and vilification. Doing, in many ways, what Daut’s previous books, articles and appearances tend to do for Haitians worldwide: marvel at the breadth of our home country’s achievements and inject even more pride in our heritage.
A professor of French and African Diaspora studies at Yale, Daut’s brand of engaging scholarship carries academia’s rigorous inquiry and extensive research, plus a deep-seated motivation to set the record straight about Haiti. She stands firm in dispelling fictions with facts, as her IG handle – @fictionsofhaiti – attests, often connecting them to today’s political and socio-cultural wars. That talent is perhaps why she is the ultimate source about Haiti’s transformative role in the Americas and beyond. For many English-speaking dyaspora, Daut’s works fill a gaping hole of knowledge among Haitian Americans of all generations, inspiring writers, podcasters and content creators.
Read the rest of the article and the interview here: https://haitiantimes.com/2025/05/23/haitian-american-scholar-historian-marlene-daut-interview/