Haiti and UNESCO mark 150th anniversary of Jean Price-Mars's birth
A commemorative day is set for October 30, 2026, honoring the ethnologist, writer and diplomat born in 1876.
Haiti is marking the 150th anniversary of the birth of Jean Price-Mars, born October 15, 1876, in Grande-Rivière-du-Nord, according to Le Nouvelliste and icihaiti.com. A physician, diplomat, writer and ethnologist, Price-Mars published his major work, 'Ainsi parla l'Oncle,' in 1928 and remained active until his death in Pétion-Ville on March 1, 1969, producing essays on history, anthropology and literary criticism along with more than a hundred articles, speeches and lectures now studied and translated in several languages.
According to icihaiti.com, Haiti's Permanent Delegation to UNESCO paid tribute to his legacy, noting that UNESCO's 43rd General Conference approved adding his 150th anniversary to the calendar of anniversaries the organization may be associated with for 2026-2027. The National Haitian Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO, under the Ministry of Education and in coordination with ANESRS, is organizing a hybrid commemorative day on Friday, October 30, 2026, under the theme '«Ainsi parla l'oncle», mémoire, identité et fierté nationale.'
Culture Minister Emmanuel Ménard said the ministry has created the Prix National Jean Price-Mars de la Pensée Haïtienne, hailing the founder of the Bureau National d'Ethnologie and initiator of the indigenist movement.