This booklet is a basic introduction to the people, history, and culture of Haiti, designed primarily for service providers and others assisting refugees in their new communities in the United States. Haitians have been arriving in the United States since the 1770s, but recent immigration can be regarded as a series of waves, each associated with a period of repression in Haiti. The unique history of the country has created a unique culture full of contradictions. The Haitian immigrant cannot be understood without reference to the country's complicated history and culture. Although there has been little formal education for the majority of Haitians, those who have received formal education have been taught in a system very different from that of the United States and face many adjustments to schooling as well as to language. An introduction to Haitian Creole is provided. In the United States, Haitians face all the problems other poor communities face, but they will overcome their difficulties just as other groups have. (Contains 33 references.) (SLD)