1823-December-02: President James Monroe delivered his famous message to Congress (the Monroe Doctrine), which outlined American opposition to further Europe…

1823-December-02: President James Monroe delivered his famous message to Congress (the Monroe Doctrine), which outlined American opposition to further European colonization in the Americas. However, the message notably omitted any mention of Haiti, despite it being a functioning independent state in the Caribbean for nearly two decades. Historians have noted that as the number of enslaved people in the U.S. grew toward two million, American safety was seen to lie in keeping the “Haitian question” as quiet as possible. By ignoring Haiti in his landmark declaration, Monroe effectively signaled that the “protection” offered to Spanish-American republics did not extend to the black republic.