CSMS Magazine Staff Writers
After Le Regard Engagé, Gérald is back, stronger than ever. In fact, since his last visit to the United States 2 years ago, he has already published two manuscripts and co-authored Messengers of the Storm along with Michael Löwy. This latest book is a detailed recount of the 1946 movement that overthrew president Elie Lescot from power in Haiti. This book is divided into two essays: the first one is a series of hypotheses on French surrealist André Breton by Michael Löwy, where the latter brilliantly analyzes Breton’s many conferences and their relationships with the Cinpglorieuses, as the leaders came to call their 1946 movement. The second part is a powerful testimony backed by in-depth analyses by Gérald Bloncourt. At 81, Gérald is one of the world oldest revolutionaries. At the age of 19, he joined Jacques Stephen Alexis and René Depestre to found la Ruche(The Hive), the youth newspaper that was the pivotal organ in the drive to force Lescot from power. The military junta that took over considered these young, energized Haitians as a threat to their power and to that of the bourgeoisie they represented. So in late 1946, Bloncourt was forced into exile. Alexis and Depestre soon followed.Haitian and revolutionary to the bones, Bloncourt took pain in acknowledging the fact that he may pass from the scene without ever witnessing le grand soir de la révolution. Sixty years have gone since he swore to eradicate fascism in Haiti; his dream has never been so far from reality. Many of his former comrades have become rebels without cause. Some have also become conformist politicians and others like René Depestre have simply betrayed, turning their back on a people they once swore to defend against all odds.The Haitian left is practically dead, as it is the trend in Latin America. The Haitian people seem to be suffering from what many call the revolutionary fatigue. Entrenched poverty has taken its toll. By inflicting the harshest blow on a disenfranchised population, the enemies of Haiti now believe that have finally prevailed over the Caribbean most stubborn nation. But Gérald still has faith that some day Haiti will rise up again as it did in 1804. As he conveyed to some of his readers at a book signing in Paris where he has been living since 1946, “Haitians’ desire for freedom is like bamboo. No one will ever be able to uproot it.” For those who live en région Parisienne, Gérald will be at the Faidherbe library on Saturday May 24th at 3 pm, Paris time. He will be there not only to talk about his new book, but also to launch his new blog. Gerald, who is also a great artist, some of his paintings can be seen on his website http://www.bloncourt.net/ or http://www.pariscool.com/Below is the French version of Gerald semi bio and itinerary. Figure du onzième arrondissement, le photographe Gérald Bloncourt poursuit avec un dynamisme qui ne se dément pas une carrière de photographe, peintre, graveur, poête et aussi menuisier, comme il aime à le répéter, lui qui se montre aussi fier de ses photographies que du vaisselier qui trône dans son salon. Mai 68? Il s’en souvient et ses yeux pétillent quand il ouvre ses boites et raconte ses cavalcades dans les manifestations ou ses longues heures passées devant les usines occupées. Ancien responsable du service photo de l’Humanité, qu’il avait alors déjà quitté, son parcours personnel donne à son témoignage un angle de vue original qu’il présentera à la Bibliothèque Faidherbe, du 1er avril au 31 mai 2008. Bien entendu, on y trouvera les photos traditionnelles des manifestations et des défilés. Mais on y verra également de nombreux clichés des nuits d’émeute, au plus près des barricades étudiantes, tout comme d’autres pris sur le vif dans les usines occupées ou les meetings. L’occasion de découvrir un georges Séguy jeune et svelte et un Krazucki qui ne confondait pas encore les anciens et le nouveaux francs.Et si vous ne connaissez pas Gérald Bloncourt, il sera présent à la Bibliothèque Faidherbe le samedi 24 mai à partir de 15 heures. Une rencontre avec un homme hors du commun et un photographe qui ne l’est pas moins.http://www.pariscool.com/Also see Gérald Bloncourt sur RFO
