Like the United States, Haiti has a history of celebrating independence. After gaining its freedom from France in 1804, Haiti went on to support the liberation of other countries in Central and South America. Moreover, it was the first nation to permanently ban slavery.
 
The Haitian flag was adopted on May 18, 1803, to symbolize the country’s commitment to freedom and independence. Haitian Flag Day is now celebrated on May 18 to encourage patriotism within Haiti and the diaspora. As an extension of Haitian Flag Day, Haitian Heritage Month honors Haiti’s history and the contributions that Haitians make across the world. To celebrate more than one million Haitians and individuals of Haitian descent in the United States, I am introducing a resolution to designate the month of May 2025 as “Haitian Heritage Month” in Pennsylvania.
 
As the birthplace of independence in the United States, Pennsylvania shares this value with Haiti. Please join me in honoring the contributions that Haitians have made to freedom across the world by signing on to this resolution.