Pierre Théoma Boisrond-Canal Explained

Pierre Théoma Boisrond-Canal
Office:President of the Provisional Government of Haiti
Term Start:26 May 1902
Term End:17 December 1902
Predecessor:Himself
Successor:Pierre Nord Alexis
Office2:President of the Committee of Public Safety of Haiti
Term Start2:14 May 1902
Term End2:26 May 1902
Predecessor2:Tirésias Simon Sam
Successor2:Himself
Office3:Minister of War and Navy
Term Start3:1 October 1888
Term End3:15 October 1888
Predecessor3:Séïde Thélémaque
Successor3:Anselme Prophète
Office4:President of the Provisional Government of Haiti
Term Start4:1 September 1888
Term End4:16 December 1888
Predecessor4:Lysius Salomon
Successor4:François Denys Légitime
Office5:12th President of Haiti
Term Start5:23 April 1876
Term End5:17 July 1879
Predecessor5:Michel Domingue
Successor5:Lysius Salomon
Office6:Member of the Provisional Government of Haiti
Term Start6:23 April 1876
Term End6:19 July 1876
Birth Date:1832 6, df=yes
Birth Place:Les Cayes, Haiti
Death Place:Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Spouse:Marie Claire Wilmina Phipps
Lise Régnier
Party:Liberal Party

Pierre Théoma Boisrond-Canal (12 June 1832 – 6 March 1905) was a Haitian politician who served as the president of Haiti three times.

Boisrond-Canal was born 12 June 1832 in the town of Les Cayes, Haiti. He began a military career. He was an officer from 1858 to 1867 during the administration of Fabre Geffrard. He then retired from military service and became a farmer.

His political career began in 1870, when he was elected a senator in Port-au-Prince. He was then re-elected until 1875. After the riots of May 1875, after which he was holed up in the home of U.S. ambassador Ebenezer Bassett for five months from May to October, he went into exile in Kingston, Jamaica, for a few weeks.[1] On his return, he was appointed the commander of the army in the Ouest department by President Michel Domingue. On 23 April 1876, he replaced Michel Domingue as the first president of the provisional government, before becoming President of Haiti non-provisionally on 17 July 1876.[2] [3] The 1867 Constitution gave him a mandate of four years. During Boisrond-Canal's administration, tensions in domestic politics and foreign affairs grew, particularly because of the differences between liberal and nationalist parties in Parliament. Following a stormy debate in the House of Representatives on 30 June 1879, there were riots in Port-au-Prince in which the Liberal leader Jean-Pierre Boyer-Bazelais played a significant role. Although the government managed to restore law and order, Boisrond-Canal resigned as president on 17 July 1879, unable to mediate between the Liberal and National parties. The successor to the presidency was Lysius Salomon. After his resignation, Boisrond-Canal left again in exile in Jamaica.

After Boisrond-Canal's return from exile and Salomon's resignation on 10 August 1888, Boisrond-Canal was again named Acting President of Haiti. He was succeeded as president by François Denys Légitime on 16 October 1888. On 26 May 1902, Boisrond-Canal was appointed successor to Tirésias Simon Sam as new interim president of Haiti. On 17 December 1902 Pierre Nord Alexis became his successor.

Boisrond-Canal was one of the most influential politicians of his time in Haiti and significantly influenced Haitian politics even when not serving as president. He died in Port-au-Prince on 6 March 1905.

Boisrond-Canal's younger brother, Louis-Auguste Boisrond-Canal, was an active political figure in 1908 as a member of the Commission for public order and interim president of Haiti.

Notes and References

  1. Book: Bourhis-Mariotti, Claire . Wanted! A Nation!: Black Americans and Haiti, 1804-1893 . 2023-12-15 . University of Georgia Press . 978-0-8203-6555-8 . 109 . en.
  2. Book: Byrd . Brandon R. . Haiti for the Haitians: by Louis-Joseph Janvier . Stieber . Chelsea . 2023-08-01 . Liverpool University Press . 978-1-83764-460-5 . 28 . en.
  3. Book: Stieber, Chelsea . Haiti's Paper War: Post-Independence Writing, Civil War, and the Making of the Republic, 1804–1954 . 2020-08-18 . NYU Press . 978-1-4798-0217-3 . 205 . en.