Spaces and Stories: Haitian Churches and Oral Histories in Chicago

THis project includes the voices of Haitian people themselves in order to better understand the role of religion within the diaspora. To that end, we completed 10 oral history interviews and received about 30 filled-in questionnaires, which helped us illustrate the importance of church life to Haitians in Chicago of all ages. Below are small biographies of some of the oral history participants and some of the quotes from their interviews, which highlight the diversity of their experiences. They have been anonomized to protect their privacy. 

Odette J: 

Odette is a nursing student who was born and raised in her Chicago church community. Her family moved from Haiti to New York and then to Chicago in the 1990s. Odette describes growing up Haitian as having a positive and negative impact on her relationships in school: positive due to her ability to speak several languages but also negative due to the stereotypes around being Haitian—being poor and uneducated. However, because she had other Haitian peers, Odette found strength in that small network who helped each other acclimate to the culture of Chicago. Her faith and culture have helped her have strong values and morals, so much so that she identities as "fully Haitian."

More from Odette J:

Well we were always raised to believe in God. My grandma actually she's Catholic but I don't know where the transition came because my dad isn't Catholic so I'm not sure you know what path he took to become Christian Baptist but here we are. Um I think growing up with religion gave me morals that a lot of my friends around me didn't have,not to get into any details. Um, also with the relationship I'm in, my boyfriend and I have been together for about almost six years and so that's in high school and college, all through high school and college, half of high school and college and a lot of my friends will be like and you know I'm in a long relationship. How are you guys in a long relationship so long? and my boyfriend actually goes to our church. So I knew him when we were growing up and stuff like that

Adam S:

Adam came to Chicago with his wife in the 1990s. Because he was an adult when he migrated, the language barrier was very difficult for him for the first several years. His father was a deacon back in Haiti, and Adam has followed the family tradition, serving as the pastor of his church for over 15 years. He is very attentive to his church community, answering calls at all hours of the day and leading services each week. Despite being in the US, he strongly identifies as Haitian and hopes to go back to his homeland after he retires.

Victor D.:

A Haitian American, Victor is the son of 2 Haitian parents who migrated to the Chicago after living in France. As a child, Victor lived on the South side, but over time, he has moved up North, to the Northern suburbs of the city, a common trajectory of Haitians in Chicago. Going to church was a major part of his upbringing and continues to shape his life today, especially in terms of his values. Even though he experiences generational tensions within his church community, Victor is proud to be Haitian and wants to learn more about what he can do to support those in the diaspora and those still on the island.

Ingrid F:

Ingrid was born in Haiti and came to the US in the 1990s as a teenager. Like many Haitians in Chicago, she came to the city for 2 reasons: first, to rejoin family who were already living here, and second, to pursue a career in the medical field. She became active in her church community about 5 years ago after her mother (whom she calls “very religious”) came to Chicago from Haiti. Like many of the younger Haitians, Ingrid understands the need for those in her generation to step up in order to keep her church community alive especially as the congregation has decreased over time due to aging, relocation, and changes in faith.