By Courtney P. Joseph, PhD

On June 11, 2026, the Haitian American Museum of Chicago (HAMOC) held an opening panel for the exhibit Echoes of Glory (1974/2026). This exhibit honors Haiti making it to the World Cup for the first time in over 50 years, an especially great feat when considering the sustained turmoil the country has faced since President Moise's assassination in 2021. A quick Google image search on "Haiti" reveals a people in crisis and poverty, which is unfortunately a very common popularized before the internet even existed. So, the World Cup provides an opportunity to showcase the power and resilience of Haitian people and coincides with HAMOC's mission.

HAMOC commissioned local Haitian American artist Erlin Geffrad to swiftly put together an amazing exhibit featuring original art, trophies, and archival photos of former Haitian soccer greats. There was also a digital component to the exhibit: Chicago team and game photos scrolled on a computer screen for viewers to take in. Local Haitian American artist Joel Maxime Jr. also contributed a new painting to the exhibit and brought in a rare archival piece from this family: a trophy from a nineteenth century Olympic competition. HAMOC then recruited participants for the panel: Chuck Carlson (a soccer historian), Raymond Pierre (a Haitian man who has lived in Chicago for decades and former soccer player), Kareen Nunnally (a Haitian American whose father, Edner Franck, was a key administrator for the Haitian soccer community in Chicago). Courtney Pierre Joseph, HAMOC’s new Director of Education and Public Engagement and Raymond Pierre's daughter, moderated the panel.

About 30 people attended the Thursday night event in heavy rain, showing the importance of this moment for Haitians and soccer fans alike. Attendees first reviewed the art around the museum, and they seemed to really enjoy the various art pieces. Arguably the most popular painting of the exhibit? The painting of the men and women's teams (the women qualified for the World Cup a few years ago) with Toussaint Louverture in the center, seemingly guiding them to victory; it shows how the Haitian Revolution undergirds nearly all parts of Haitian culture. They also enjoyed some refreshments and mingled with other attendees before the panel officially began.

Carlos Bossard, Director of Programs and Museum Practice, opened the event with some announcements and introductions. Then, the moderator began the panel with a question about the history of Haitians and soccer, which Carlson aptly answered. Pierre was then asked about his experiences as a former soccer player. He gave a great and detailed review of how soccer shaped his life philosophies, especially discipline and teamwork. Finally, Nunnally shared the bittersweet reality of losing her father just about a year before this historic World Cup moment, a man who loved soccer more than almost anything else in his life. The audience asked questions about the recent removal of part of the Haitian soccer uniform by FIFA for being "too political," what the World Cup means to younger Haitian Americans, and hope for the team to beat the odds and win major victories during the tournament.

The event ended with lots of conversation and review of the exhibit, in addition to a raffle for a mini FIFA ball. This was a wonderful event that brought the community together across generation, migration status, soccer ability, and more.