Civil Rights Archived News

Haitian Coalition Expresses Grief and Outrage Over Death of New York City Councilman
New York, July 23, 2003 -- The National Coalition for Haitian Rights (NCHR) joins its voice with the membership of the Haitian American Task Force of Haitians Community Based Organizations (CBOs) to deplore the senseless act of violence which took the life of Councilman James A. Davis today.

FIVE YEARS LATER: Haitian Coalition reflects on anniversary of louima torture incident 
Five years ago today, Haitian immigrant Abner Louima was brutally beaten and sodomized by members of the New York City Police Department. While one ex-officer, Justin Volpe, is serving a 30-year sentence for his part in the heinous attack, the convictions of the officers involved in the case were overturned on appeal in late February, paving the way for the continuation of an already protracted struggle for justice.
9 Aug 2002

Haitian Coalition Expresses Disappointment in Louima Verdicts; Calls for Maximum Sentence and Retrial
NCHR is disappointed by the verdicts announced yesterday, July 16, in the retrial of Charles Schwarz, accused of assisting in the torture of Haitian immigrant Abner Louima in a Brooklyn police precinct bathroom in August 1997. 
17 July 2002

Haitian Coalition Holds Successful First-Ever National Conference in Miami
New York, 17 April  2002 -- NCHR hosted a very inspiring national conference from April 12-14, 2002 at the Hilton Miami Airport Hotel.  Entitled "Developing a National Haitian-American Agenda: Moving Forward Together," the history-making conference was the first ever of its kind.

Haitian Coalition Calls on U.S. Attorney's Office to Examine All Options for Retrial of Officers in Louima Case
NCHR is deeply troubled by the decision taken today by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn the convictions of former New York City police officers Charles Schwarz, Thomas Wiese and Thomas Bruder.
28 February 2002

Haitian Coalition to Hold Timely Town Meeting on New York City Police Community Relations
NCHR is organizing "Finding A Common Agenda: The Police And The Community," a two-hour symposium to be held from 6 to 8 pm on Wednesday March 13, 2002.
28 February 2002

NCHR Urges Thorough Investigation in Shooting Death of Haitian Immigrant Georgy Louisgene
NCHR is deeply saddened and concerned about the recent shooting of 23-year-old Haitian immigrant, Georgy Louisgene. Mr. Louisgene was fatally shot five times by the police during an encounter at a Brooklyn housing project on Wednesday, January 16, 2002. 
23 January 2002

Louima Settlement Does Not Provide Needed Police Reform
New York City and the Police Union settled the three-year-old civil case with Haitian-born Abner Louima. NCHR believes that the agreement did not impose the much needed reforms of the New York Police Department that Mr. Louima had sought.
13 July 2001

Haitians Urged to Practice Good Citizenship on Election Day
The National Coalition for Haitian Rights (NCHR) urged Haitian-American citizens to go en masse to the polls on November 7, national election day.
2 November 2000

Haitian-American Citizen Shot to Death by New York City Cop
Patrick Dorismond, a 26-year-old Haitian-American resident of New York City, was shot to death yesterday, March 16, 2000, in a scuffle with a police officer.
17 March 2000

March 6, 2000 -- No Impunity for Abusers - The Verdict in the Second Louima Trial 

NCHR Launches Community Initiative to Address Police Brutality in New York City
The National Coalition for Haitian Rights (NCHR) is pleased to announce the launching of a new three-year initiative designed to address the issue of police brutality within the Haitian communities of the New York City metropolitan area.
29 November 1999

Diallo Verdict Likely to Heighten Fear of Police Among Haitian Refugees and Immigrants

September 22, 1998 -- Twentieth Century Fox Apologizes to Haitians

September 2, 1998 -- Hollywood's "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" Shocks Haitians with Offensive Statement

June 1, 1998 -- Haitian Bilingual Education Lawsuit Inches Forward

May 13, 1998 -- Citizenship Backlog Chokes Democracy

April 17, 1998 -- Leadership Training Improved and Extended to Three Days

February 10, 1998 -- Congress to Move Legislation Which Severely Threatens Voting Rights

April 28, 1997 -- NCHR's Community Leadership Training: A Hit With Participants.

February 20, 1997 -- Haitians Take The New York City Board of Education to Court

February 12, 1997 -- Haitian Town Meeting Set for February 23, 1997 in New York City