Haitians call the Citadelle Laferrière (Citadelle Henry), commissioned in 1805 and completed in 1820, their 8th Wonder of the World because it stands as a testament to their victory over slavery. This landmark, constructed in the early 19th century following Haiti’s independence from France, is both a National Historic Site and a UNESCO World Heritage site, symbolizing freedom for all Haitians.

The Cap-Haitien Citadelle Archive Project is working to safeguard a diverse collection of analog materials related to this historical landmark, but they need our support to acquire up-to-date scanning equipment and continue digitizing tens of thousands of historical archives. Unfortunately, libraries, archives, and museums in Haiti are being targeted by gangs who destroy everything in their path. There is an urgent need to digitize these invaluable collections.

In collaboration with Le Centre d’Art in Port-au-Prince, Ayiti Demen is asking for your generosity to support the Cap-Haitien Citadelle Archive Project, which also partners with the Institute for the Safeguarding of National Heritage (Institut de Sauvegarde du Patrimoine National, ISPAN).

The project focuses on digitizing a vast collection of analog materials from the 1970s–1990s restoration project of the Citadelle Henry and the Sans Souci Palace. This includes 8,500 slides, 1,300 prints, 14,000 negatives, 865 architectural drawings, and more than 400 documents and reports. The project also aims to digitize, store, and make available all other materials related to ISPAN’s efforts to protect Haiti’s built heritage.

Preserving this irreplaceable archive, along with the documentation collected by ISPAN’s inventory programs of Haiti’s built heritage, will be invaluable for future generations of Haitians. The goal is to digitize these materials to protect them from the ravages of time and ensure they are accessible to the public. Digitization will not only preserve these documents but also allow them to be easily shared with researchers, students, and history enthusiasts worldwide.

You can explore some of the work on the UCLA Library website and the dLOC website (Digital Library of the Caribbean). However, your financial support is needed to continue this vital preservation work.

Donate online today to support the Citadelle Archive Project.

If you can only donate by check:

• In Haiti, send a check to Le Centre d’art at 58 rue Roy, Port-au-Prince, Haiti (Memo: ARCIT) or email info@ademen.org for additional information.
• In the United States, send a check to Ayiti Demen, 28 Bethune Street, New York, NY 10014 (Memo: ARCIT)
• Worldwide: Donate online today.