MIAMI UNIVERSITY The Graduate School Certificate for Approving the Dissertation We hereby approve the Dissertation of Moise R. Baptiste Candidate for the Degree: Doctor of Philosophy _________________________________ Dr. Richard Quantz, Director _________________________________ Dr. Denise Taliaferro-Baszile, Reader _________________________________ Dr. Michael Dantley, Reader _________________________________ Dr. Nelda Cambron-McCabe, Reader _________________________________ Dr. Jhan Berry, Graduate School Representative ABSTRACT TEYORI LIDECHIP KI SOTI NON MAJINALIZASYON OR (LEADERSHIP FROM THE MARGINS THEORY: RE-EXPLORING LEADERSHIP IN NON-TRADITIONAL WAYS. Moise R. Baptiste The concept of leadership and the institution of organizations are complex and dynamic because how it is executed and structured is based on the context in which it is used. Traditional leadership models operate under the false pretense that the interests of the organizations will benefit the whole. I will attempt to construct a leadership theory that assumes social conflict theory rather than systems theory and seeks to identify the characteristics of leadership as found in marginalized communities. Haiti is the first and only successful slave revolt in history, so why isn’t this feat celebrated all over the world? Why haven’t we learned the important lessons that these revolutionaries can teach? For example, did these slaves exercise leadership differently than their masters; and if so, is this why they were able to win their freedom and establish their own country? These questions form the basis of my research question: What can we learn through analyzing texts written on the Haitian Revolution as well as the texts of contemporary Haitian and Haitian-American subjects that will help us critique traditional, and suggest new, notions of leadership? The purpose of analyzing text written about the Haitian Revolution is to identify characteristics that capture the unofficial, non-traditional leader. This dissertation accomplishes this by first exploring texts which might reveal how Haitian slaves exercised an alternative form of leadership in order to gain their freedom during the Haitian Revolution. Following an analysis of these historical texts, this dissertation analyzes texts taken from contemporary Haitians and Haitian-Americans. The contemporary Haitian narratives attempt to provide more concrete examples of these characteristics and provide exemplars that can be compared and contrasted with that which has been indentified from the text written about their ancestors. TEYORI LIDECHIP KI SOTI NON MAJINALIZASYON OR (LEADERSHIP FROM THE MARGINS THEORY: RE-EXPLORING LEADERSHIP IN NON-TRADITIONAL WAYS. A DISSERTATION Submitted to the Faculty of Miami University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Educational Leadership by Moise R. Baptiste Miami University Oxford, OH 2010 Dissertation Director: Richard A. Quantz TABLE OF CONTENTS Dedication ...................................................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgement .......................................................................................................................... v Preface ............................................................................................................................................. 1 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 4 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ...................................................................................... 10 CHAPTER 3: RETHINKING TRADITIONAL AND EMERGING THEORIES ...................... 39 CHAPTER 4: HAITIAN REVOLUTION .................................................................................... 55 CHAPTER 5: CONTEMPORARY HAITIAN NARRATIVES .................................................. 77 CHAPTER 6: DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS ............................................................... 104 REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................... 113 ii Dedication To: God, Mom and Dad, Carolyn, Kathleen, Xinniah, Xaheer, Oliver, Aunts and Uncles in Haiti and U.S, Cousins in Haiti and U.S, Grandparents (The ones I’ve met and the ones I never got a chance to meet), Linda, Elliott, Ruth, Ron, Lydie, Joe, Nene, Pastor and Sr. Omanes, Thomas family, Calixe family, Haitian Community as a whole, Shewanee, Shaquon, Shanee, Shawon, Mr and Mrs. Howard and family , Reggie, Gina, Gueshom, Demothenese Family,Vernon, Cedric Harvey, Angela Goff, Florian, Ernie, Izzie, Rachel, Al Dunn, J.R, Rod, Cole, Shanelle, Kelly, Gwen, Trey, Trevor, Wayne and Will, Grant St. Boys(Kee Kee, Mikey, Chaz, Red Rick, Brown Rick, Benard, Damon, Chris), Rev. Giles and family and Triumph Baptist Church family, My Godchildren (Jordan and Jadien), Orlando and all the neighborhoods (Holden Heights, Pine Hills, Richmond Heights), Miami and all neighborhoods (i.e., Little Haiti, Pork-n-Bean Projects, Liberty City, Adapada projects), Valerie Robinson, Ken Garcia (S.M.D), Shea, Vette, Evertte, Miami U classmates, Dissertation Committee (Special thanks to Drs. Quantz, Dantley, Bazsile, Carbron-McCabe, and Berry), Dr. Terrell, “Ray Ray, Earl, Sha Sha and all the boys at the 7-11”, Dr. Flore Zephir of University of Missouri for translating stuff for me, Jean Robert Cadet, Prosper "Makendal" Sylvain, Jr. for the poem, Imperia Vodka for helping me to unwind, Wahid Mohammed, Theo Uwusu, Deshawn Henry, Levar Smith, Glen Faircloth, Miracle Obeta, Adisa Price, Tammy Holmes, Bryan Nance, Catherine Allen, Tammy Holmes, Dr. Cheryl Evans, Clifton Jean-Jacque, James Noel, all my RMC recruits and players, Blaise Family, Dante Settles, Jonathus Family, Gentlemen of Distinguished Character, James Campbell, GSCA, Gerald Yearwood, Calixe Family, Horse, Young, Coach David Harper for recruiting me, Janine Robinson-Turner, Jonelle Allen, Matt Boatz, Kidada Robinson, Mimi Fortune, Demothenese Family, Patrice McClellan, Phillip Sanders, RaShawn Jarrett, Thomas family, Plush Cuts barbershop, Tiffany Norman, Aweina, Kemper Boys, Mimi Fortune, Rodrell Oldman. All the people that participated in my research. Jerry Griffin and Melvia Wallace, Christina Mobely, entire EDL department, friends and associates from Boone High school, Dominique, Jon, Ben Seidl, All my football players from Maret High School, All my former students from M. M Washington Career School, Deodis, Carl Crennel, Matt Raich and anybody else I forgot, Thank you! If I did, it was not on purpose. TO THE HATERS: Thank you for your role in my success. Starting with that professor in the department formally known as PHS (You know who you are), I want to thank you for NOT believing in me and for not taking me on as a mentee. I came to you like a man, seeking guidance but you instead talked bad about me to others and tried to belittle me and we both know why don’t we? Well I used that as fuel to be the best student I could be. And just so you know, I hope that I turn out nothing like you. When a student comes to me seeking guidance, I will do my best to get to know that student first and do my best to help guide them. To my teachers growing up that didn’t care for me, look at me now! To all the cops that will pull me over for “driving while Black,” I want to thank you in advance. To all my former students that see me and pretend I don’t exist, I want to thank you as well. Thank you for showing me that my work is relevant. I also want to thank all the people in the iii future that will not respect me and see me as an equal or as a fellow human being and for those who will doubt my ability as a scholar because of my skin color, I thank you in advance and for being the fuel and motivation to press on. Remember, Haters make the world go round. God bless you all! On a better note, this dissertation is dedicated to ALL MY HAITIAN PEOPLE!! Especially the victims of the January 12th 2010 earthquake. GOD BLESS HAITI!! iv Acknowledgement First and foremost, I want to thank the most high, that force that is bigger and more powerful than any man can image. The most popular name for this force is God so I would like to thank God for my journey through this once in a lifetime experience we call life. Secondly, I will like to thank my wonderful parents (Denis and Lucienne Baptiste for being my foundation, my guide, my everything. I could not have asked for better examples of how to live. To my sister Carolyn, you are by far the toughest person I know. You are a soldier of life! More importantly, you are the most loyal person I know. To my baby sister Kathleen, I admire you so much. No one is as head-strong as you. You don’t take no mess and many fear your strength. I admire it. I know that we as siblings have never vocalized this because we don’t have to. Our bond is like no other but I will for the first time tell you two that I love you with all my heart. To my niece and nephew, Xaheer and Xinniah, I know you are only 2 years old now but I look forward to the day when you can read this. You came into the world weighing 1 lb 1 ounce and 1 lb 2 ounces, and doctors gave you very little change to live but not only are you two alive, you are flourishing! You two epitomize “Survival” and the “will to live.” You two are my heroes!! To my future wife, Dr. S. Baby, we met at Miami University and at a time when I wasn’t looking for