Abstract
The art of postcolonial politics in the age of empire: Haiti's object lesson at the World's Columbian Exposition
Highlights
The shared revolutionary, anti-colonial histories of participating American republics were key features of each of their exhibition sites, with statues erected to national heroes and declarations of independence on display for all to see
To date, Haiti’s presence at the World’s Columbian Exposition has largely been understood as a site of protest and African diasporic solidarity, which has positioned it in antagonistic opposition to the United States and separated it from wider Pan-American display at the fair.[4]
This article contributes to the modest existing scholarship that has begun to explore these world’s fairs as significant spaces in which modern postcolonial, as well as imperial, nationalisms were being forged.[8]. It opens with a surveying of the geopolitical dynamics that prompted the US to invite Haiti to this event, going onto offer an analysis of Haiti’s published exhibition catalogue and the material culture presented as an embodiment of the Haitian nation at this event, focussing on its display of artworks. These latter analyses give insight into the aspirations of Haiti’s politicians and social elites in the late nineteenth century, whilst, more broadly, adding to our understanding of how America’s emerging postcolonial republics sought to validate their position within the western world order.[9] ii Understanding Haiti’s Presence at Jackson Park At the time of the World’s Columbian Exposition, the US did not have an empire to exhibit in the way that Britain had at Crystal Palace in 1851 or France had at the Exposition Universelle in 1889
Summary
The shared revolutionary, anti-colonial histories of participating American republics were key features of each of their exhibition sites, with statues erected to national heroes and declarations of independence on display for all to see.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
