Today Haiti holds its first elections since the devastating January 2010 earthquake, amid a raging cholera epidemic.
News reports so far aren’t encouraging–Haitians are showing up at the polls only to find their names aren’t on registration lists, and the mood appears tense.
Few places in the world tug at my conscience more than Haiti. If you’re thinking, or reading, about the island nation this week, consider stopping by a couple of exhibits that showcase what makes Haiti unique:
*African Mosaic (National Museum of African Art) includes a larger-than-life sculpture of Haitian independence leader Toussaint Louverture , by Senegalese sculptor Ousmane Sow. A reminder that Haiti threw off slavery in 1804 to become the first independent nation in Latin America.
*Lois Mailou Jones: A Life in Vibrant Color (National Museum of Women in the Arts) includes a series of paintings depicting Haitian street life from the 1950s through the 80s. Jones married a Haitian artist and adopted the nation as her second home. Her paintings show the nation’s culture at its most vibrant.
Eighteen candidates are running for the Haitian presidency. Let’s hope voters give one a clear mandate.
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