The U.S. Embassy of the Dominican Republic has issued a travel advisory for for ‘darker skinned U.S. citizens and U.S. citizens of African descent.’
There have been mass deportations of Haitians in the D.R. this month, including 20,000 in a 9 day period, 40,000+ this past month, in addition to 60,000 this year and with 1800 *unaccompanied minors*. That’s 1800 children separated from their families to travel alone to places they have never been to.
The history between the Dominican Republic and Haiti is long and complicated and cannot be explained in one or even 10 posts. I would suggest those who want to know more can begin with President Trujillo - 30 year running President who’s anti-blackness led to the Parsley Massacre leading to the murder of anything from 20,000 to 50,000 Haitians in 1937.
Trujillo encouraged Europeans to move to the DR in an effort to lighten the shades of Dominicans and propaganda of light skinned straight haired Dominicans dominated imagery and perceptions of the country. Whilst yes, in the DR one finds all kinds of skin tones and hair textures, there exists massive movements to separate oneself from being associated with Blackness. A strong denial of lineage and a longing to keep the proximity to Eurocentric beauty standards.
The relations between the countries goes back further than Trujillo and his own self hatred, but as it stands Haiti is still paying the price for its Revolution, taking back control by defeating the Europeans and becoming the First free Black Republic in the West. Going from the richest nation in the Western Hemisphere - isolated, bullied, extorted and plundered into becoming the poorest.
Oh yeah…. Not about race tho. Right?
*It must said that not every person from the DR is racist - there are thousands of Dominicans who are truly proud of their African heritage and celebrate it. An entire country cannot be painted with one brush.*




