Canadian graduate student Julia Gaffield flipped a page earlier this year and unearthed both history and hope, discovering what is believed to be the only known printed copy of Haiti's Declaration of Independence.

"It was a document that I recognized immediately because . . .

in big, bold letters across the top it says 'Liberte ou la mort,' " said Gaffield, who made the discovery in February at the British National Archives in London, while researching for her PhD in history at Duke University.

Even though the eight-page pamphlet is more than 200 years old, the discovery couldn't be more timely, coming as Haiti is still struggling in the aftermath of the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that devastated much of the poor island nation on Jan. 12.

That event — which destroyed numerous national symbols, such as the country's Presidential Palace — was a blow to the Haitian community's heritage.

"To bring this document to light in Haiti's darkest hour may be seen as a symbol of renewal and rejuvenation, helping Haiti rebuild its national spirit following the recent earthquake," Ian Wilson, Canada's former chief librarian and archivist, said in a statement.

For her effort, Gaffield, 26, says she has received numerous messages from history buffs and Haitians alike thanking her for finding the document.

"It does come at a point where a reminder of the country's very strong and powerful past might help the spirit of Haiti," Gaffield said. "The messages have pointed out that this is a reminder of their history and it's important, significant and, in a way, helpful."

Haiti was Latin America's first independent state, a French slave colony that successfully seized power through rebellion in the early 19th century as part of a bloody uprising that led to the declaration of independence on Jan. 1, 1804 — a date stamped atop the document.

While the contents of the declaration are well known — Gaffield first saw a handwritten transcription of the text in neighbouring Jamaica's national archives — researchers weren't certain that any printed copies still existed.

Historians had searched in vain in Haiti for decades, so it was believed the originals had all thrown out or destroyed.

Even Gaffield herself wasn't convinced she'd find it in London, noting in her previous research she'd find letters referring to an "enclosed" document that was always missing.

The Ottawa native — whose thesis will examine the way early 19th century Haiti interacted with the international community — was initially tipped off to the possibility that an original copy might still exist during a research trip to Jamaica.

It was there she read a series of trade negotiations between Jean-Jacques Dessalines, leader of the rebellion and the first head of independent Haiti, and Jamaican governor George Nugent.

Since Jamaica was a British colony in 1804, there was also correspondence between Nugent and British authorities, including one letter from a British agent who had previously been sent to Haiti.

Gaffield recalls it read something like: "Here is the document, it has been not one hour from the press."

So when she stumbled upon that phrase again in London's archives while looking through a bound book of letters, its familiarity struck her.

"I was hoping, just hoping, it was there," Gaffield says. "So I flipped a couple more pages and, in fact, it was!"

Her reaction, was what she calls "contained" delight.

"Part of the problem with finding something of such great importance . . . in a national archive is that it's very difficult to get excited," Gaffield said.

"All I could really do was smile to myself and keep it all bottled in because I looked around the room and it was just complete strangers who were wrapped up in their own work.

"The archives are not the place to make a big scene."

The ever-dutiful student continued to plow through the old records — "I was only in London for 2 1/2 weeks; I really couldn't afford to waste an afternoon of research" — before returning the letterbook to the shelf, declaration and all.

While there's been no word as to whether the document will be moved from its current site — it can be accessed digitally online — Gaffield said the most important thing is having Haitians know the declaration can remain part of the country's official archival records.

The Haitian community is grateful, says Patrick Tardieu, a noted Haitian archivist currently working in the United States, who worked to confirm the document's authenticity.

"It is an important document, and its discovery is important news for Haiti's scholarly community and more broadly for the people of Haiti."

Gaffield, meanwhile, is pushing forward with her research — even if she's unlikely to reveal any more long-lost pieces of history.

"I think there's still a lot of exciting work to be done in the archives for this time period in Haitian history," she says.

"It certainly won't have the reward of feeling like I'm doing something (great) for the Haitian community. . . . But in a lot of ways I think studying history does have an impact on contemporary society, and it certainly shapes the way we view history today."

On the web: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/haiti.asp

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