Jean Dominique - Personal Life and Early Career

Personal Life and Early Career

Dominique was born into the elite of French society living in Haiti. His father, Leopold Dominique, moved the family there from France with a belief in the cause of the Haitian plight. After Jean completed his private schooling in both France and Haiti, he trained as an agronomist agriculturalist in Paris, France. He believed in educating and training the Haitian people so they could take care of themselves. Upon his return to Haiti, he began working with the poverty-stricken peasantry. Using his skills, Dominique helped rural farmers to better manage their land and stay out of debt of wealthy landowners. Some landowners, in an effort to maintain control over the farmers, convinced local authorities to jail Dominique for six months. After his release he emerged as one of the strongest critics of the militant regime of François "Papa Doc" Duvalier.

During the 1960s, he became interested in film and founded Haïti's first film club. Later, he made one of Haïti's first documentaries, But, I Am Beautiful.

In the early 1960s, he founded Haiti’s first independent radio station, Radio Haïti Inter, the first broadcast outlet in Creole, the language of 70 percent of Haitians. Dominique joined Radio Haïti initially as a reporter, and followed this in 1971, by purchasing the station's lease. This was the first time that a Haïtian radio station had broadcast locally in the language spoken by most of the populace, as opposed to French, which was the language of the ruling elite.

“The only weapon I have is my microphone and my unshakable faith as a militant for change, veritable change,” Dominique once said.

Dominique was married to Michèle Montas, and they had three daughters: Jan-J (JJ), Nadine and Dolores.