Origins & Early Life

Catherine Flon (1772-1831) was a Haitian seamstress, patriot and national heroine. She is regarded as one of the symbols of the Haitian Revolution and independence. She is celebrated for sewing the first Haitian flag on May 18, 1803, and maintains an important place in Haitian memory of the Revolution to this day. Catherine Flon was born on December 2, 1772, in Arcahaie in Saint-Domingue.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Her parents traded in textiles from France. She became a seamstress with her own workshop, and had several apprentices. She was the god daughter of Jean-Jacques Dessalines. According to Haitian revolutionary tradition, Flon created the country's first flag on May 18, 1803, the last day of the Congress of Arcahaie. There, the leader of the Revolution, Jean-Jacques Dessalines, Flon's godfather, cut apart a French tricolor with his sabre, demonstrating his desire to break away from France.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

He gave the pieces to Flon, who stitched them back together, while leaving out the central white strip. In Haitian lore, the colors of the new flag took on a racialized meaning: the blue and red stripes represented a union between the black and mulatto citizens of Haiti. Historians...

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