Between 1970 and 1972, thousands of Haïtiens left their native land and moved to the United States. Many of them arrived in Miami, Florida, and gathered in the Lemon City area. So many settled there, joining older Haïtien exiles, that the area was unofficially called “Little Port-au-Prince.” However, Viter Juste, a Haïtien-born American entrepreneur and activist, later coined the name, “Little Haïti.”
Little Haiti is bordered on the north by Northwest Northeast 79th Street and the south by Northeast 54th Street. It extends west to Interstate 95 and East to Northeast 4th Avenue and Northeast 2nd Avenue. The Haïtien community is situated east of Liberty City, west of Bayside and Morningside, north of Buena Vista, and south of Little River.
Statue of Toussaint L’Overture (Courtesy of O.D. Alexander)
The main commercial strip is Northeast 2nd Avenue also known as Félix Morisseau-Leroy Avenue (Father of the Haïtien Créole language). This strip includes numerous Haitian-themed restaurants such as the world-famous Chef Créole. It also has art galleries, theatres, and dance companies.
In 2006, the Little Haïti Cultural Complex was opened. The Complex supports local and international artists of the Afro-Caribbean Diaspora with a special focus on the Haïtien experience. It also features the Laundromat Art Space and an artist-run studio and exhibition gallery. One centerpiece of Little Haiti is the Libreri Mapou bookstore, owned by Jan Mapou, a Haïtien immigrant. The bookstore has one of the most extensive collections of French and Créole literature outside Haiti.
Toussaint L’Overture Boulevard (Courtesy of O.D. Alexander)
One of the leading tourist attractions in Little Haïti is the 13-foot bronze statue of General Toussaint L’Ouverture, who led the Haïtien Revolution. It lies on Northeast 2nd Avenue and 62nd Street surrounded by American and Haïtien flags. The community has two high schools, two middle schools, and five elementary schools. The one named after Toussaint L’Ouverture is also a tourist attraction.
Over 100,000 people visit or participate in programs at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex annually. In 2010 the 2010 U.S. Census and American Community Survey 2015 5-year data, Little Haïti has a population of 33,596, comprising 23.5% Hispanic and 76.5% non-Hispanic.
Libreri Mapou Bookstore (Courtesy of O.D. Alexander)
Furthermore, 24% of the population is White, including Hispanic White, 71.4% is Black, and 4.6% Other. According to the 2020 Census, however, the community experienced an 8.1% decline. The demographic breakdown shows the 64.9% of the population identified as Black or African American, 14.7 as Hispanic or Latin American of any race, 15.5% as other races, and 4.7% as white.
In 2016, the City of Miami commissioners voted to designate Little Haïti as an official neighborhood whose boundaries overlap the historic Lemon City, which Bahamian immigrants founded before Miami existed. This decision underscores the vibrant community’s rich history and deep cultural significance, making it a must-visit for those interested in cultural history and urban development.