Raymond A. Joseph has distinguished himself in a broad spectrum of roles, including theologian, diplomat, writer, lecturer, and social activist. From 2005 to 2010 he rose to prominence as Haitian Ambassador to the United States. From 1990 to 1991 he was Haiti’s Chargé d’Affaires in Washington, DC., and Haiti’s representative at the Organization of American States. He signed the first accord with OAS Secretary General Baena Soares for the arrival of unarmed election observers in Haiti that made possible the first democratic elections.
Born in a batey (work camp) in the Dominican Republic of Haitian parents, Mr. Joseph established a print shop and founded Reyon Limyè, the first Creole monthly church organ in Cayes, Haiti. In October 1960, he completed the first Haitian Creole New Testament with Psalms, published under the auspices of the American Bible Society. Beginning in 1954, he studied in the United States, earning a pastor’s diploma from Moody Bible Institute (1957), a B.A. degree in Social Anthropology from Wheaton College (1960), and an M.A. in Social Anthropology and Linguistics from the University of Chicago (1964).
From 1964 to 1970 Mr. Joseph served as Secretary General of the Haitian Coalition, a political umbrella group against the Duvalier dictatorship that inaugurated “Radio Vonvon,” the first short wave daily radio broadcast from New York against the Duvalier regime and which published the weekly Le Combattant Haitien. As a Financial Writer for The Wall Street Journal from 1970 to 1984, he wrote about the asbestos crisis and a series leading to President Joaquin Balaguer’s defeat by the Partido Revolucionario Dominicao (PRD). In 1971 he co-founded with his brother Leo Joseph the Haiti-Observateur, the first commercial and anti-dictatorship crusading Haitian weekly newspaper in New York. He joined the staff on a full-time basis in 1984. In the same year he held the position of Secretary General of ROC (Rassemblement de l’Opposition pour la Concertation), a political umbrella organization against the Duvalier-Bennett dictatorship that coordinated the struggle abroad in the final months of the regime.
His book, “FOR WHOM THE DOGS SPY—Haiti: From the Duvalier Dictatorships to the Earthquake, Four Presidents, and Beyond” was published January 6, 2015 by Arcade, a subsidiary of Skyhorse Publishing in New York. The book is available at Amazon, with Kindle and Audible versions. It can also be purchased at Barnes & Noble and other bookstores. An autographed copy may be obtained directly from the author by contacting him directly. His email is raljo31@yahoo.com.
Currently a researcher and lecturer, Mr. Joseph founded “A Dollar A Tree for Haiti, Inc.,” a non-profit environmental organization registered in Maryland whose website is Replanthaiti.org.