Revolutionary Echoes: A Panel on the Haitian Revolution and Modern Art

Join us for a dynamic panel exploring the Haitian Revolution and its lasting cultural and political impact.

This conversation brings together historians, artists, and cultural thinkers to examine how the Haitian Revolution challenged ideas of freedom and power in the late 18th century, and how it was perceived by the American Founding Fathers. We’ll look closely at the tensions it exposed in early U.S. democracy, particularly around race, slavery, and sovereignty.

The panel will also trace how these historical threads continue to resonate in contemporary Haitian art. Through visual storytelling, symbolism, and political expression, modern Haitian artists engage with the legacy of revolution, identity, and resistance in ways that feel urgent and deeply relevant today.

The historic collection of Daniel Simidor will feature heavily in this panel, curated by Rejin Leys and Obden Mondesir. (The associated exhibit will be on display for a limited time at King Manor!)

Panel will be modrated by Veronica Alt, Program Coordinator at King Manor.

Panelists include:

Kelsey Brow, Director, King Manor

Rejin Leys, Artist

Obden Mondesir, Archivist, Brooklyn College- Haitian Studies Institute