Episode Details

"Haiti: Its Dawn of Progress after Years in a Night of Revolution" by John Dryden Kuser is a unique blend of history and travelogue that captures a fleeting visit by a wealthy U.S. politician during a tumultuous period in Haiti's past, marked by U.S. military invasion and occupation. Through Kuser's observations of Haitian culture, including education, religion, and commerce, listeners gain insight into the perspectives of early twentieth-century Americans, albeit from a limited viewpoint. The book also features a chapter on a duck hunting expedition, illustrating the disconnect between the observer and the observed.