Tennis superstar Naomi Osaka isn’t one to hold her tongue when it comes to justice—and this week, she turned her sights on France’s historical debt to Haiti.
The four-time Grand Slam champion ignited conversation online after responding to French politician Raphaël Glucksmann, who had called for the Statue of Liberty to be returned to France. “Give us back the Statue of Liberty,” Glucksmann reportedly said during a rally on Sunday, March 16, expressing frustration over recent political developments in the United States. “It was our gift to you. But apparently you despise her.”
But Osaka, whose father is Haitian, wasn’t having it. In a sharp post on X (formerly Twitter), she clapped back: “Since we’re trying to repossess things, can Haiti get their money back?”
Her remark wasn’t just rhetorical. It dug into a centuries-old grievance with deep historical and economic implications.
Haiti became the first Black republic in the world in 1804, freeing itself from French colonial rule after a brutal revolution. But freedom came at an impossible cost. In 1825, under threat of re-colonization, France demanded 150 million francs as compensation for the loss of enslaved labor and its colonial holdings. Haiti began paying the so-called “independence debt,” and over time, repaid about 112 million francs—sums that many historians argue stunted the country’s development for generations.
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Fast forward to today, about six million Haitians live in poverty. The shadow of that colonial debt still looms large.
Osaka’s comment stirred reactions across social media, with many praising her for speaking up. Some users highlighted that France has never fully accounted for the damage its demands inflicted on Haiti’s economy, while others called for broader conversations around reparations and historical accountability.
This isn’t the first time Osaka has stood with Haiti. After the devastating 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck the country in 2021, she pledged to donate her prize money from a tournament to relief efforts and called global attention to the crisis.
Now, she’s using her voice again—not for sport, but for justice.
As debates over reparations grow louder around the world, Osaka’s words have added fresh energy to an old and unresolved conversation. And for many Haitians and supporters of historical redress, her tweet wasn’t just a mic drop—it was a long-overdue call to action.
