Duvalier, François

Duvalier, François (fräNswä` düvälyā`), 1907–71, dictator of Haiti (1957–71). A physician, he became director-general of the national public health service in 1946 and subsequently served as minister of health and of labor. After opposing Paul Magloire's coup in 1950, he hid in the interior, practicing medicine, until a general political amnesty was granted in 1956. In 1957, with army backing, "Papa Doc," as he was known, was overwhelmingly elected president. Reelected in a sham election in 1961, he declared himself "president for life" in 1964. His regime, the longest in Haiti's history, was a brutal reign of terror; political opponents were summarily executed, and the populace was kept in a state of abject fear by the notorious Tonton Macoutes. Under Duvalier, the economy of Haiti continued to deteriorate, and the illiteracy rate remained at about 90%. Duvalier nevertheless maintained his hold over Haiti. His practice of voodooism encouraged rumors among the people that he possessed supernatural powers. He died in Apr., 1971, after arranging for his son, Jean-Claude, to succeed him.

Bibliography

See J.-P. Gingras, Duvalier: Caribbean Cyclone (1967); A. Burt and B. Diederich, Papa Doc (1969, repr. 1990); J. Ferguson, Papa Doc-Baby Doc (1987).

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Duvalier, François

 known as Papa Doc

(born April 14, 1907, Port-au-Prince, Haiti—died April 21, 1971, Port-au-Prince) President of Haiti (1957–71). After receiving his M.D. in 1934, Duvalier was appointed director general of the National Public Health Service in 1946 under Pres. Dumarsais Estimé. When Estimé was overthrown by Paul Magloire, Duvalier led the opposition and assumed the presidency soon after Magloire's resignation in 1956. He reduced the size of the military and organized the Tontons Macoutes (“Bogeymen”), a private force that terrorized and assassinated alleged foes of his regime. He played on the culture of vodun to intimidate the opposition as well. Promoting a cult of his person as the semidivine embodiment of the nation, he declared himself president for life in 1964. His regime's corruption and despotism isolated Haiti, the poorest country in the hemisphere, from the rest of the world. His 19-year-old son, Jean-Claude Duvalier (“Baby Doc”; b. 1951), succeeded him on his death. A weak ruler dominated by his mother and later by his wife, Baby Doc instituted slight reforms, but increasing social unrest forced him to flee into exile in France in 1986.

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Duvalier, François 

Born Apr. 14, 1907, in Port-au-Prince; died there Apr. 22, 1971. Haitian statesman and politician.

In 1932, Duvalier graduated from the medical faculty of the University of Haiti. From 1932 to 1954 he worked in various medical institutions in his country, including several American medical missions. Until 1957 he was under-minister of labor and thereafter minister of labor and public health. In 1957 he made every effort to be elected president of Haiti. Duvalier established a bloody dictatorship, ruling with the support of detachments of Tonton Macoutes (his personal bodyguard) and the police. In 1964 he had the National Assembly enact a law making him president for life. Before his death he bestowed the presidency upon his son.

REFERENCE

Diederich, B., and A. Burt. Papa Doc: Haiti and Its Dictator. London, 1970.