<P> Contrary to the constitutional mandate, the white field is rarely (if ever) rendered as a square . A rectangle with a 11: 9 ratio has been adopted by the Haitian Ministry of Information and Coordination since 1987 or earlier . </P> <P> The civil flag and ensign omits the coat of arms . </P> <P> The first purely Haitian flag was adopted on 18 May 1803, on the last day of the Congress of Arcahaie, about 80 kilometres (50 mi) north of Port - au - Prince . Haitian lore holds that the newly appointed revolutionary leader Jean - Jacques Dessalines created the flag by taking a French tricolor and ripping out the white center, which he discarded . He then asked Catherine Flon, his god - daughter, to sew the remaining bands together . The white pale removed, the blue was taken to represent Haiti's black citizens and the red the gens de couleur . The story is widely known in Haiti: the anniversary of the date is celebrated as the Haitian Flag Day and images of Catherine Flon have appeared on Haitian currency and stamps . </P> <P> Following his proclamation as Emperor Jacques I, Dessalines promulgated a new constitution on 20 May 1805 . In it, the colors of the flag were altered to black and red . This flag being subsequently adopted by Henri Christophe, the republicans under Alexandre Pétion returned to the colors blue and red, subsequently turning them horizontal and adding the newly adopted Haitian coat of arms . </P>

What was the color of the first haitian flag
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