Background
Fabre Nicolas Geffrard was born in Anse-à-Veauon 23 September 1806. The son of a mulatto father and a black mother.
government official politician president
Fabre Nicolas Geffrard was born in Anse-à-Veauon 23 September 1806. The son of a mulatto father and a black mother.
Coming from an elite family, he managed to acquire an education before joining the army.
Geffrard served as a general in the campaigns of President Faustin Soulouque to reestablish Haitian dominion over the Dominican Republic. When the Haitian empire was established by Soulouque, Geffrard was given the title Duke of Tabara. He became the emperor's most trusted adviser. As bankruptcy, corruption, graft, and military, political, and administrative incompetence intensified, the idea of Geffrard as a possible successor to Soulouque began to grow. The emperor ordered Geffrard’s arrest, but Geffrard led a successful insurrection and was made president by acclamation of January 20, 1859.
Geffrard inherited a pattern of state decision making that subverted the rule of law and the constitution. He reintroduced, with minor modifications, the relatively progressive constitution of Jean Baptiste Riche, who had preceded Soulouque. Although the government had less dictatorial power, Geffrard was President for Life.
Geffrard was faced with 15 attempted coups during his eight years in power. Because of constant rebellion, he dissolved the elected legislature in 1863, replacing it with one guaranteed to rubber stamp his edicts. In 1865 an insurrection led by a powerful black general, Sylvain Salnave, was put down with British help. In 1867, with Salnave again rebelling and with a mutiny in the ranks of his palace guard, Geffrard left for Jamaica, where he died 11 years later.