Dantès Bellegarde


Dantès Bellegarde was a Haitian historian and diplomat. He is best known for his works Histoire du Peuple Haïtien, La Résistance Haïtienne, Haïti et ses Problèmes, and Pour une Haïti Heureuse.

Early years

Bellegarde was born in Port-au-Prince to a poor mulatto family. His impoverished but small bourgeoisie background descended from several historical figures in Haiti's history. His maternal great-grandfather Jacques Ignace-Fresnal was an officer in the army and Haiti's first Minister of Justice, and founder of Haitian Freemasonry. His paternal grandfather, General Jean-Louis Bellegarde, was a former Governor of Port-au-Prince.

Career

Bellegarde served as Minister Plenipotentiary to Paris in 1921 and to Washington, D.C., in 1930.

Honours

He was bestowed by France as commander of the Legion of Honour and was holder of the Office of Public Instruction.