Jan Mapou papers

Identity elements

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Collection

Title

Jan Mapou papers

Date(s)

  • 1980-2009 (Creation)

Extent

5 boxes and 6 individual albums (11 linear feet)

Name of creator

(1941-)

Biographical history

Jan Mapou (Jean-Marie Denis) is a Haitian author, playwright, director, and arts advocate. He was one of the founders of the Haitian Creole Movement, which began in Haiti in 1965. That same year he also created Sosyete Koukouy (The Fireflies Society), a multi-disciplinary arts company dedicated to preserving Haitian cultural traditions and rituals. In 1969, Mapou was arrested by the Duvalier government for his activities promoting Haitian Kreyol. He immigrated to New York in 1972, before settling in Miami in 1984. He helped found chapters of Sosyete Koukouy in both New York and Miami, and serves as the Society's artistic director. Mapou's writing legacy includes 2 poetry books,1 short story, and 8 plays. He has also directed more than 15 plays in Haiti, New York,and Miami. He owns Libreri Mapou (Mapou Bookstore) in Little Haiti, which has one of the largest inventories of titles on Haitian culture and history in the nation. He also hosts two radio programs on education and culture on WLRN Public Radio and has served on numerous boards, including the Miami Book Fair International. Finally, he is the co-founder of the Haitian Arts Alliance . In 2007, he was the recipient of the Folk Life Award from he State of Florida.

Content and structure elements

Scope and content

This collection contains photograph albums and audio-visual materials documenting the various events Jan Mapou had taken part in and organized for Sosyete Koukouy (The Fireflies Society) and Libreri Mapou.

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use elements

Conditions governing access

The collection is open for research.

Physical access

Items from this collection are kept on-campus and may be requested from the first floor Kislak Center in the Otto G. Richter Library at University of Miami.

Technical access

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright is owned by Jan Mapou (Jean-Marie Denis). Requests to publish or display materials from this collection require written permission from the rights owner. Please contact asc.library@miami.edu for more information.

Languages of the material

  • English
  • Haitian

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