Violence venerates Non-Violence
A Tribute To Martin Luther King Jr: Signed by the Haitian Dictators Papa and Baby Doc
Duvalier, Francois
A tribute to the martyred leader of non-violence, Reverend Dr Martin Luther King Jr.
Port-au-Prince: Presses Nationales. 1968.
Two 1968 First (and only) editions, one in French and one in English, of Francois Duvalier’s tribute to MLK after his assassination in the same year. The French edition is signed by Duvalier in the year of publication, whilst the English Edition features an inlaid signed photograph of his son Jean-Claude Duvalier, who succeeded him as the Dictator of Haiti.
In 1968 Papa Doc organised a funeral mass in Port-au-Prince for MLK, but was more so used as a propaganda tool to exalt himself, much like this book. The funeral mass ordered by Duvalier was not evidence of his admiration for King. Instead, it was part of a thinly veiled attempt to humanise his inhumane regime. By espousing Pan-Africanism—the belief that all people of African descent share a common past, collective struggle, and destiny—and publicly mourning a Black leader known across the world for his philosophy of non-violence, Duvalier tried to reaffirm Haiti’s place at the vanguard of the global Black freedom struggle and divert attention from the violence of his dictatorship. His propaganda accomplished neither goal but did presage his enduring efforts to appropriate King.
Duvalier furthered that propaganda two years later, after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4, 1968. While Coretta Scott King grieved the death of her husband, the Haitian dictator sent her condolences and declared a national period of mourning in Haiti. For four days the Haitian flag flew at half-mast, theatres closed, and radio stations played music deemed suitable for the sombre occasion. Funeral masses took place throughout Haiti, not just in the capital Port-au-Prince. As the Tontons Macoutes loomed over attendees at those services, Duvalier put the hurried, finished touches on this book Hommage au Martyr de la Non-Violence: Le Révérend Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. The English translation of the work that begins with Duvalier’s curriculum vitae quickly followed.
The Duvalier’s ruled Haiti from 1957-1986 with Papa Doc establishing the infamous secret police the Tontons Macoutes (who extra judiciously killed around 30,000 people during his tenure) and coopting Vodou teachings into his politics, venerating himself as a god. He began actively playing the role of a powerful Voodoo demi-god, or 'Loa'—one in particular: Baron Samedi. Samedit is known in Haitian folklore as the Grim Reaper and he used this image to instil fear and compliance in the populace.
An incredibly rare work of Haitian propaganda, almost unheard of to be signed and remains the only signed example of this work that we can locate.
Violence venerates Non-Violence
A Tribute To Martin Luther King Jr: Signed by the Haitian Dictators Papa and Baby Doc
Duvalier, Francois
A tribute to the martyred leader of non-violence, Reverend Dr Martin Luther King Jr.
Port-au-Prince: Presses Nationales. 1968.
Two 1968 First (and only) editions, one in French and one in English, of Francois Duvalier’s tribute to MLK after his assassination in the same year. The French edition is signed by Duvalier in the year of publication, whilst the English Edition features an inlaid signed photograph of his son Jean-Claude Duvalier, who succeeded him as the Dictator of Haiti.
In 1968 Papa Doc organised a funeral mass in Port-au-Prince for MLK, but was more so used as a propaganda tool to exalt himself, much like this book. The funeral mass ordered by Duvalier was not evidence of his admiration for King. Instead, it was part of a thinly veiled attempt to humanise his inhumane regime. By espousing Pan-Africanism—the belief that all people of African descent share a common past, collective struggle, and destiny—and publicly mourning a Black leader known across the world for his philosophy of non-violence, Duvalier tried to reaffirm Haiti’s place at the vanguard of the global Black freedom struggle and divert attention from the violence of his dictatorship. His propaganda accomplished neither goal but did presage his enduring efforts to appropriate King.
Duvalier furthered that propaganda two years later, after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4, 1968. While Coretta Scott King grieved the death of her husband, the Haitian dictator sent her condolences and declared a national period of mourning in Haiti. For four days the Haitian flag flew at half-mast, theatres closed, and radio stations played music deemed suitable for the sombre occasion. Funeral masses took place throughout Haiti, not just in the capital Port-au-Prince. As the Tontons Macoutes loomed over attendees at those services, Duvalier put the hurried, finished touches on this book Hommage au Martyr de la Non-Violence: Le Révérend Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. The English translation of the work that begins with Duvalier’s curriculum vitae quickly followed.
The Duvalier’s ruled Haiti from 1957-1986 with Papa Doc establishing the infamous secret police the Tontons Macoutes (who extra judiciously killed around 30,000 people during his tenure) and coopting Vodou teachings into his politics, venerating himself as a god. He began actively playing the role of a powerful Voodoo demi-god, or 'Loa'—one in particular: Baron Samedi. Samedit is known in Haitian folklore as the Grim Reaper and he used this image to instil fear and compliance in the populace.
An incredibly rare work of Haitian propaganda, almost unheard of to be signed and remains the only signed example of this work that we can locate.
