View of the Citadelle, the revolutionary fortress up the mountainside near Milot

Haiti is the poorest nation in this hemisphere. Half the people live on less than $1 a day and can't read or write. Medical care is abysmal, even by the standards of its neighbor on the island of Hispanola, the Dominican Republic. Haiti began in 1804 as the first black republic in the world, the second independent nation in this hemisphere (after the United States) and it remains the only example of a country born of a successful slave revolt. Haiti's challenges began with its debt to the French colonists and the refusal of worldwide powers to recognize the new nation. Today, the challenges include hurricanes, corrupt leadership, poor soil, the lack of roads and water. But the country retains a sense of identity and pride, a richness of spirit and a vibrancy that is hard to resist.

If you are interested in learning more, there are numerous articles, books and websites to provide information on Haiti. These include