The Haitian Times

The Haitian Times
Name	The Haitian Times
Type	Weekly newspaper
Format	Broadsheet
Foundation	1999
Founder	Jean-Claude Martineau
Language	English
Headquarters	Brooklyn, New York

The Haitian Times is a New York–based weekly English-language newspaper serving the Haitian diaspora, Haitian-American communities, and readers interested in Haitian affairs. Founded in 1999, it reports on political, cultural, and social issues related to Haiti and Haitian communities in the United States, particularly in New York City, Miami, and Boston. The paper has engaged with major events such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Haitian presidential elections, and U.S.–Haiti diplomatic relations.

History

The paper was established amid post-1994 developments involving Jean-Bertrand Aristide, United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti, and Haitian migration flows to the United States. Early reporting connected diaspora concerns with events like the 1991 Haitian coup d'état, the return of Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 1994, and the political aftermath of the 2004 Haitian coup d'état. Coverage over time expanded to include cultural figures such as Wyclef Jean, Edwidge Danticat, and Michaëlle Jean, and to follow humanitarian responses involving organizations like Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, and United Nations agencies after the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

Ownership and Management

Originally founded by Jean-Claude Martineau with editorial leadership tied to community activists and journalists from Haitian-American networks, the newspaper has interacted with media institutions including Nassau Community College journalism programs and connections to diaspora organizations like the Haitian-American Nurses Association and the National Coalition for Haitian Rights. Management has navigated relationships with advertising partners, nonprofit funders, and cultural institutions such as Abyssinian Baptist Church, Brooklyn Public Library, and immigrant advocacy groups active in Flatbush, Brooklyn and Little Haiti (Miami).

Editorial Focus and Content

Editorial content centers on Haitian political developments, elections involving figures like Michel Martelly, René Préval, Jocelerme Privert, and Ariel Henry, as well as U.S. policy toward Haiti under administrations of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden. Culture coverage highlights artists and writers including Edwidge Danticat, Jacques Roumain, Frankétienne, Wyclef Jean, and events such as Kompa concerts and Haitian Carnival traditions. The paper reports on immigration issues intersecting with rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court, actions by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and initiatives by elected officials like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Hakeem Jeffries, and Nydia Velázquez. Investigative and feature journalism has addressed topics related to international organizations including the United Nations, humanitarian agencies like World Food Programme, and reconstruction projects involving the Inter-American Development Bank and USAID.

Distribution and Circulation

Distributed in print across neighborhoods with significant Haitian populations—Flatbush, Brooklyn, Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Little Haiti (Miami), Dorchester, Boston]—the newspaper has combined street distribution with subscriptions and partnerships with institutions such as Columbia University libraries and cultural centers like Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Circulation strategies adapted to challenges from digital platforms run by media companies like The New York Times, The Washington Post, and ethnic media outlets including The Amsterdam News and El Diario La Prensa. Online readership grew in response to major events such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake and the 2015–2016 Haitian presidential election cycle.

Reception and Impact

The paper has been cited by national and international media including The New York Times, CNN, BBC News, and Al Jazeera for on-the-ground reporting and diaspora perspectives. Academics researching Haitian migration and Caribbean studies at institutions like New York University, Rutgers University, and University of Miami have referenced its coverage. Community leaders and elected officials from New York City Council and Queens and Brooklyn districts have used reporting from the paper in policy discussions on housing, health, and immigration. Nonprofit organizations such as Haitian Centers Council and Charity: Water have collaborated on public-awareness campaigns influenced by the paper’s reporting.

Notable Coverage and Investigations

Significant investigative pieces examined the humanitarian response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake, allegations involving United Nations peacekeepers and cholera introduction, and reconstruction contracts linked to international donors including the Inter-American Development Bank and World Bank. Reports scrutinized political crises following the assassination of Jovenel Moïse and the governance role of interim leaders like Claude Joseph and Ariel Henry, as well as diaspora political mobilizations in cities like Miami and Boston. Cultural investigations profiled artists such as Wyclef Jean and writers like Edwidge Danticat alongside coverage of Haitian media landscapes including radio stations and community organizations.

Awards and Recognition

The newspaper and its journalists have received awards and recognition from ethnic media associations, journalism organizations like the National Association of Black Journalists, and community groups honoring coverage of Haitian-American civic life. Individual reporters have been finalists or recipients of community journalism prizes connected to institutions such as City University of New York journalism programs and nonprofit journalism funders who support ethnic and immigrant press.

Category:Newspapers published in New York City