History

A Brief History Of La Fondation Geffrard Internationale, From the 17^th through the 21^st Century

Professor Laurent Geffrard was born in France in 1685. As a young man, he was involved in the Haitian culture in the early 1700s. In 1710 he founded Fondation Geffrard (The Geffrard Foundation International) to spread social understanding and education in the West Indies. After begetting about 90 mulatto children (1705-1745) with various slave women, he was engaged in a social fight to prevent a rebellion of the slaves against the whites at Saint Domingue (Haiti) by seeking a peaceful resolution to the conflict between whites and blacks.

Because he was a lover of progress and true civilization, Laurent became the French colonist/slave masters #1 enemy in Haiti (Saint Domingue) until his death in 1761.

Thirty (30) years after his death, what he tried to avoid happened. On the night of August 21-22, 1791, a phase of the Haitian revolution started. A voodoo ceremony performed by a voodoo priest known only as Boukman joined the great diplomatic efforts/tactics of Governor general Toussaint-Louverture and was used as a catalyst to end the mistreatment of the slaves by their masters. A move that will later engender the declaration of independence of Haiti on January 1, 1804.

Before that era, Professor Laurent’s grandson Nicolas Geffrard became a member of the colonial army at Saint-Domingue in 1788. In 1792 he became a lieutenant then a colonel in 1798 under Chief Commander André Rigaud. Nicolas then reformed the foundation before his exile to Cuba and later to France in 1799. He returned to Haiti in one of the 86 French warships sent to Haiti in 1802 by the First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte. Nicolas Geffrard had enrolled in the Haitian army as a simple soldier in 1802 and became a general of the first army brigade in January 1803, and on July 6, 1803 a general of division. He occupied Les Cayes and had control of all the southern department of Haiti.

About two months later, he used the foundation as a political banner to make the rebels of southern Haiti to understand the importance of the Haitian liberation and its independence and also he help the rebels recognize the power of the future Emperor Jean-Jacques Dessalines. On May 18, 1803, the Haitian flag was created in Arcahaie, and a few days later Nicolas wrote the music of the Haitian anthem and General Justin L’Hérisson wrote the lyrics.

On January 1, 1804, Haiti declared its independence from France, Spain, and England. The Haitian Act of Independence was signed by: Dessalines, Chief General; Geffrard, Christophe, Pétion, Clervaux, Vernet, Gabart, General of Divisions; Romain, Gérin, Capoix, Daut, François, Férou, Cangé, Bazelais, Ambroise, Herne, Toussaint Brave, Yayou, Brigade Generals; Bonnet, Papalier, Morelly, Chevalier, Marion, Adjudant Generals; Magny, Roux, Chief of Brigades; Charéron, Loret, Qenez, Macajoux, Dupui, Carbonne, Diaquoi Aîné, Raphaël, Mallet, Derenoncourt, Army Officers; and Boisrond Tonnerre, Secretary.

The Haitian revolution and its independence suffer some great human lost: before, the death of Governor general Toussaint-Louverture at Fort-de-Joux jail in France in April 1803; later, the impoisonment of General Geffrard and the assassination of Emperor Dessalines in 1806.

Emperor Dessalines used to meet with General Geffrard every month to discuss the future of Haiti before and after the Haitian Independence. Politically, Nicolas changed the name of Camp Geffrard to Camp Gerard after Haiti’s victory over France in November 1803. Nicolas Geffrard was poisoned and died a few days later in the presence of his family at Camp Gerard, Cayes, Haiti, on May 31, 1806.

On September 19, 1806 his son Guillaume Fabre Nicolas Geffrard was born. When Fabre became a member in the Haitian army, he used the foundation on a high national level to educate the Haitian soldiers. Later, his effort was extended to all the public sector employees when he became president for life without an election on December 23, 1858.

President Fabre Geffrard was eager to educate and liberate people.

Before he resigned from power and accept exile to Jamaica in 1867, he opened the first Law and Nursing schools in Haiti. He founded the “Centre D’accueil” in Carrefour, Haiti: a center to welcome all the orphan children.

He created a welfare system called “Ministere des Affaires Sociales” or ONA to support the needy people, and a national archive for the Haitians, and opened several public schools around the country.

From 1860-1862, President Geffrard made several interventions to the United States government to make life agreeable for the entire American people in spite of the death of his 26-year-old son Colonel Charles Clodomir Fabre Geffrard and the assassination of his 28-year-old daughter Cora Geffrard by the Haitian rebels, including over 12 attempts on his own life.

When the first 112 African-Americans, including Reverend Holy, started to travel to Haiti at the Haitian government’s expense, the U.S. government temporaly abolished slavery—in the same year of 1862 the first diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Haiti was established with a U.S. embassy in Port-au-Prince and a Haitian embassy in Washington DC. The official emancipation proclamation issued by the U.S. Liberator President Abraham Lincoln in 1864 cost him his life. Fabre also supported many educational centers in Jamaica, West Indies.

After Fabre Nicolas died in Jamaica on December 31, 1878, a few members of his family who took exile with him returned to Haiti.

Senator Fénélon Geffrard, member of congress and one among those who signed the amended constitution on August 6, 1874 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, started the operation of the foundation locally in Gonaives before he was elected senator in 1875. In the 1950s, Deputy Franck Geffrard also directed it locally by helping the needy people. Rev. Daniel Geffrard held a leadership role in the 1960s, integrating his religious ways into the practical and social aspirations of the foundation.

Mr. Lunique Geffrard became the number one leader of the foundation in 1986 and made it an international entity in 1987 to spread education and civilization throughout the continents.

Today, the foundation has become a bridge of civilization to encourage the great professors of civilization to continue to educate those who have eyes but cannot see; who have a heart but cannot love; who have a brain but are using it against humanity.

At the end of the 1990s, the foundation created two flags: the flag of Ignorance and the flag of Civilization. These flags were published on the last page of The World Tribune newspaper in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002. The foundation also created in 2001 a Colonialist flag to match the Anarchist flag which was created by the Flag Institute in Chester, United Kingdom.

In August 1999, Lunique Geffrard wrote a letter of peace to over 200 heads of government around the world including some organizations deemed of international terrorism. His letter which was published several times in his newspapers as well as some other international newspapers had erected a new bridge on the road of civilization. It would be helpful for us if we could treat the past as what it is, today as an other opportunity and know that tomorrow will be a better day. Truth is the only witness that can dispel darkness. Hypocrisy is an enemy to love and arrogance is a destroyer of peace… What car would last long if it is driven without oil in its engine?

Since the end of the 20^th century, the Foundation Geffrard continued to fight with many official lords of terror to give humanity a chance to survive. Its demands were ignored by the ignorant but backed up by certain progressive and humanitarian governments.

Fondation Geffrard Internationale doesn’t support nor practices barbaric and racial discriminations. We don’t stand behind any anarchist government which practices ignorance day by day.

We are not lovers of war and bloodshed—but we would like to see progress, friendship, peace, love, unity, respect, prosperity, education, civilization and happiness for a better tomorrow on our planet.

The key slogans of the foundation in the beginning of this new century are: “Terror will never heal terror.” “Love can’t identify itself by words only.” “Do the positive thing for humanity.” “This century can be a unique century; very different from the others.” “We differ only in terms of skin color—but, in truth, we are one.” “If you used to stand behind ignorance—now it’s time to show the world citizens that you are not a permanent brainless.”

Now, Fondation Geffrard Internationale needs your financial support for the construction of a few universities in order to help our youths who have lost hope and are humiliated after their high school.

Your humanitarian action will also join many caring people to support thousands and thousands of desperate men, women, and children. Your donation will help to preserve life from generation to generation, as you become a true supporter of education and civilization.

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