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Duvalier's Reign Built Haiti's Modern Trauma
- Francois Duvalier's dictatorship (1957–1971) created long-lasting trauma that helps explain Haiti's present collapse.
- His regime (estimated 60,000 deaths) entrenched state violence, mass graves, and a culture of fear that outlived his rule.
Penicillin Tours Created Papa Doc's Myth
- As Minister of Health Duvalier walked rural Haiti treating yaws with penicillin and built a heroic reputation among peasants.
- That medical tour earned him the nickname Papa Doc and intimate knowledge of voodoo practices he later exploited.
Voodoo Survived Through Syncretic Catholic Mapping
- Haitian Vodou coexisted with Catholicism by mapping lwa to saints, letting African traditions survive under colonial religion.
- Duvalier recognized this syncretism and used voodoo's cultural power to legitimize his rule.