Spaces and Stories: Haitian Churches and Oral Histories in Chicago

Below are more quotes from the oral histories and questionnaires completed for this project. 

When and why did you come to the US? Specifically, Chicago?

"The standard answer...They wanted a better life. Or my grandparents wanted a better life for their kids… my grandmother had three girls, two boys, five kids total. My mother was the youngest and she was actually, since she was born in the States while my while my grandmother was there temporarily, my mother was able to grant everyone in the family citizenship," (Terrence R., Chicago Bethlehem French Seventh Day Adventist Church).  

"Oh my god. My family, they've been in Chicago for way before me. Like, maybe probably, I'm thinking maybe going on 30 to 40 years now. (Ingrid F., Our Lady of Peace Church)

When did you join your church? How did you find this church and what made you join? 

"I was born in the church,  like oh you were a baby, you were born in my hands,” (Odette J., Gabaon Baptist Church)

"Actually when my mother came, and then, my mom, she's a very, very religious person.Very spiritual person. So, that's when I really, really got involved in the church. But the, the way I am now wa son till that back when i first moved here back in 2002."  (Ingrid F., Our Lady of Peace Church).

"Being a pastor... instead of [the members of the church] calling 911, the first person they call is me to see how we can help... it’s a duty... it’s an opportunity to serve however we can,”(Adam S., First Haitian Evangelical Church).

"Many of us live around the church, so it's not only our church community it's our life community, so we do a lot of thing to try to not only progress our church, but to progress our community around us,” (Odette J., Gabaon Baptist Church).

"We have mass almost every Sunday, but we have other prayers held sometimes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, we don’t find that often here in the US all the time, doors are closed most of the time, you know, you can't go in freely and pray on your own,” (Ingrid F., Our Lady of Peace Church).

What are the important Haitian religious holidays and celebrations? Are there any Haitian holidays or traditions you celebrate outside the church?

“Christmas, we take Christmas so seriously, it's crazy. Christmas and Easter, you think it's like Kanaval in Haiti... in Easter all of the sister churches congregate at the larger church and have an Easter celebration,” (Odette J., Gabaon Baptist Church).

“We celebrate Flag Day at the church every year, kind of celebrating the traditions of Haiti and the history of Haiti, singing folklore songs,” (Joseph R., South Haitian Church of God)

What does Haiti, being Haitian mean to you? How else do you identify?

"To be the first black country to have their independence against, you know, colonization, I have to say this is something to be proud of, and yeah I’m happy to be from the island,” (Ingrid F., Our Lady of Peace Church)

“Being Haitian really changed how I value my life, how I value family, you know, school,” (Joseph R., South Haitian Church of God). 

What do you think of the stereotypes about Haiti, especially the ones about religion?

“Being Haitian gave me a lot of protection, because people would be like ‘Oh I’m not going to mess with her’... because of the stereotypes" (Odette J. Gabaon Baptist Church.

“The way they think about voodoo, they think it’s a bad stuff, its dark, its magic its black... but Haiti has a lot of other religions... voodoo now, it's  justanother religion our ancestors used to practice back then,(Ingrid F.,Our Lady of Peace Church).

What role did religion play in your upbringing? What role does it play now? 

"Without my religion, I would not be who I am today." (Gina L., South Haitian Church of God). 
 
“Growing up religion gave me morals that a lot of my friends didn’t have...with religion I knew my worth... and religion gave me to hold myself to a standard,” (Odette J., Gabaon Baptist Church). 
 
“There is no Haitians without religion,” (Terrence R., Chicago Bethlehem French Seventh Day Adventist Church).