Haiti Marks 150th Anniversary of Jean Price-Mars with Commemoration on Elite Responsibility
Scholars gathered in Pétion-Ville to revisit the intellectual's enduring reflections on national identity, education and the duty of Haiti's elites.
A commemorative day was held Friday, October 30, 2026, at the Hôtel Montana in Pétion-Ville to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of Dr. Jean Price-Mars (1876-1969), according to Le Nouvelliste and Juno7. The event was organized by the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training (MENFP), the Haitian National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO (CNHCU) and the National Agency for Higher Education and Scientific Research (ANESRS), under the theme 'Diplomacy, Identity and National Dignity.' The gathering brought together scholars including sociologist Hérold Toussaint, president of the ANESRS; sociologist Laënnec Hurbon; ethnologist Jhon Picard Byron of the State University of Haiti; Auguy Makey of Libreville, Gabon; philosopher Alain Nzigou-Moussavou; and Celucien L. Joseph of Louisiana State University Shreveport. Through several scientific panels, participants revisited Price-Mars's legacy, including his reflections on national identity, African heritage, Vodou, the racial question and the responsibility of elites. Works examined included 'Ainsi parla l'oncle' (1928) and 'La vocation de l'élite' (1919). The latter, a collection of lectures, challenges Haiti's ruling classes over the distance between a privileged minority and the popular, largely peasant masses, arguing that elites bear a moral, intellectual and civic responsibility toward the community.