28416: Hermantin( News )Bill would designate May Haitian-American Month (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Bill would designate May Haitian-American Month



By Alva James-Johnson
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

May 7, 2006



U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek has reintroduced a bill that would designate May as 
Haitian-American Heritage Month.

The effort came five days after President Bush declared the month Jewish 
Heritage Month. Bush also is expected to designate June to recognize the 
contributions of Caribbean-Americans, including Haitians.

But Meek, D-Miami, thought Haitians deserved their own month.

"The congressman feels the Haitian people have uniquely impacted the history 
and culture of the United States," said Meek's spokesman Drew Hammill. "In many 
textbooks the contributions of Haitian people aren't recognized."

Meek first introduced the bill last year, but Congress did not act on it, 
Hammill said. Meek tried again on April 25, the day the Haitian American 
Cultural Society kicked off Haitian Heritage Month in Miami-Dade County.

Some activists who touted Caribbean-American Heritage Month as a celebration of 
contributions by all Caribbean immigrants said they were caught off guard by 
Meek's proposal.

"Whatever objectives are being sought by this legislation can be accomplished 
in the context of Caribbean Heritage Month," said Glen Joseph, the South 
Florida representative for the Washington, D.C.-based Institute of Caribbean 
Studies. "Unless I'm missing something, there's no need for both."

Jonathan Beeton, communications director for U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman 
Schultz, D-Weston, who sponsored the bill designating Jewish Heritage Month, 
said he doesn't foresee any problems sharing May with another ethnic group.

"The important thing is that we take the time as Americans to educate each 
other about the different parts of America that makes us one whole 
multicultural nation," Beeton said. "We support other months, and that would 
include Haitian-American Month."

Alva James-Johnson can be reached at ajjohnson@sun-sentinel.com or 
954-572-2028.


Copyright © 2006, South Florida Sun-Sentinel