Questioning the Accusation that Francois Duvalier Impersonated Baron Samedi

Tess Rosbarsky
Fri, 17 Apr 2026 13:45:00 PDT

Historians, anthropologists, and journalists have all claimed that Haitian dictator Francois Duvalier modeled his personal style after the Vodou spirit, or Loa, Baron Samedi. Guarding the crossroads between life and death, Baron Samedi is a member of the Gede family, a group of vulgar and mischievous spirits who mock authority. The Baron wears a top hat, dark suits, and sunglasses with one lens popped out. Duvalier’s signature look also included a black suit and hat which he paired with his thick lens glasses. This research provides evidence against this claim holding that these stylistic choices could more easily be explained by practical considerations such as his role as president prompting him to wear a suit and his documented near sightedness, rather than imitating a religious deity. This research was carried out through comparing historical accounts of Duvalier to anthropological and theological accounts of the Loa Baron Samedi, who reveals himself through the possessive practices of Vodou. By questioning a widely held assumption about Francois Duvalier, this presentation works to correct the lens which sensationalizes him as the “voodoo dictator,” making the man behind the mystique more visible.