While Haiti made it possible for the U.S. to gain the Louisiana Territory, as Haitian Ambassador to the U.S. Raymond Joseph has recently pointed out, to say that Haiti was not without its problems before the massive earthquake struck the island nation on Tuesday would be a grand understatement.
See some of the poorer areas in Port-au-Prince before the calamity through the eyes of noted photo journalist Jeff Antebi to begin understanding the depth of this tragedy.
A boy in Cite Soleil on the edge of Port-au-Prince.
1. A boy in Cite Soleil on the edge of Port-au-Prince.
A kid stands in a court next to a school that used to be one of Duvalier's most feared prisons
2. A kid stands in a court next to a school that used to be one of Duvalier's most feared prisons.
Women sellers in a market in Port-au-Prince
3. Women sellers in a market in Port-au-Prince.
A girl rides in a school bus in Port-au-Prince
4. A girl rides in a school bus in Port-au-Prince.
Kid with amazing hair in Cite Soleil slum
5. Kid with amazing hair in Cite Soleil slum.
Two girls holding hands in Cite Soleil
6.Two girls holding hands in Cite Soleil.
Kids in Cite Soleil
7. Kids in Cite Soleil.
In many parts of Port-au-Prince, there's no electricity or safety at night
8. In many parts of Port-au-Prince, there's no electricity or safety at night.
The Cite Soleil slum is a nightmarish landscape
9. The Cite Soleil slum is a nightmarish landscape.
A busy marketplace in Port-au-Prince becomes deserted as night falls
10.A busy marketplace in Port-au-Prince becomes deserted as night falls.
All over Port-au-Prince, the only sources of light are bonfires
11. All over Port-au-Prince, the only sources of light are bonfires.
At night, people become spectral
12. At night, people become spectral.
The Cite Soleil slum is an apocypltic scene.
13. The Cite Soleil slum is an apocypltic scene.
UN soldiers and a bicycle rider in Port-au-Prince
14.UN soldiers and a bicycle rider in Port-au-Prince.
Kids from Cite Soleil show off their toy robot
15. Kids from Cite Soleil show off their toy robot.
Jeff Antebi
Jeff Antebi founded the Waxploitation company a decade ago as a home for unique artists and projects including Gnarls Barkley and Danger Mouse. More recently he has become known for his photography, covering wars and conflicts in places like Afghanistan, Haiti and South Thailand. His photographs have been featured by NPR, Utne Reader and PBS NewsHour, to name a few.
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