Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas Hosted Reception Following Haitian Flag Raising at Daley Plaza

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas hosted a reception Monday afternoon for Cook County’s Haitian community following the Flag Raising Ceremony in Daley Plaza.

The celebration honored Haitian Heritage Month and Haitian Flag Day, observed annually on Monday, May 18, 2026.

Haitian Flag Day commemorates the creation of the nation’s flag in 1803 during the Haitian Revolution, when enslaved Africans defeated French colonial rule and helped establish Haiti as the first independent Black republic in the world.

The flag-raising and ceremony celebrated the history, culture, resilience, and enduring contributions of the more than 15,000 Haitians living in Chicago and the surrounding area.

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas hosted a reception Monday afternoon for Cook County’s Haitian community following the Flag Raising Ceremony in Daley Plaza.The celebration honored Haitian Heritage Month and Haitian Flag Day, observed annually on May 18. — Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas hosted a reception Monday afternoon for Cook County’s Haitian community following the Flag Raising Ceremony in Daley Plaza.
The celebration honored Haitian Heritage Month and Haitian Flag Day, observed annually on May 18.

During the reception, Treasurer Pappas presented Certificates of Excellence to Haiti’s Consul General in Chicago and other members of the Haitian diaspora whose leadership, service, and contributions have positively impacted Cook County, Chicago, and the surrounding communities.

The event is part of Treasurer Pappas’ continued commitment to recognizing the diverse communities that strengthen Cook County while celebrating the individuals who help shape the region’s civic and cultural life.

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Ray Hanania is an award-winning opinion columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

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