Contents
Jacques Roumain
Writing Masters of the Dew, a major Haitian novel about solidarity and survival.
La Montagne ensorcelée · Masters of the Dew
- Born
- 4 June 1907
- Birthplace
- Port-au-Prince, Haiti
- Died
- 18 August 1944
More people
Jacques Roumain
Haitian novelist, poet and ethnologist whose writing joined rural life with questions of inequality and collective action.
Early life
Haitian upbringing
Grew up in a prosperous Port-au-Prince family.
Education abroad
Studied in Haiti and Europe before returning to participate in literary and political life.
Career
- 1927–1930s
Literary and political work
Helped establish La Revue indigène and published fiction while opposing Haiti’s occupation.
- 1930s
Imprisonment and exile
Political activity led to imprisonment and exile; he continued research and writing abroad.
- 1940s
Research and diplomacy
Founded Haiti’s Bureau of Ethnology and served in Mexico while completing major literary work.
Selected writing
La Montagne ensorcelée
A novel portraying rural Haitian life and social tensions.
Masters of the Dew
A novel about a divided community’s search for water.
Bois-d’ébène
A posthumously published poetry collection connecting oppression with solidarity.
Beyond work
Political organising
Founded the Haitian Communist Party in 1934.
Ethnological interests
Studied Haiti’s archaeology and cultural traditions alongside his literary work.
Sources & photo credit
Biography and references ↗Biography and contributions ↗Photo: Unknown author Unknown author. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
