Farah Juste was born and raised in Port-Au-Prince Haiti on October the 11th 1952. She started singing at the age of 7 in a neighborhood church, the St. Gerard Church in Carrefour-feuille. As she grew older she was writing poetry and political songs denouncing the Duvalier dictatorship.
It wasn’t until she immigrated to Montreal, Canada before she sang these songs in public. She attended the Institute Gerardine of the Arts for 3 years. Eventually Farah settled in New York City where she began her career as a passionate singer of Haitian folk songs. She joined Soley Leve (Rising Sun), a cultural association that promotes Haitian folk music and dance.
In 1977 she produced her first album as a solo artist. The album gained critical acclaim reviews and marked the rise of an important voice on the Haitian musical landscape. Farah self produced and recorded 14 albums; and unlike her contemporaries, Farah did not concentrate on Haitian dance music, compas, instead, her music relayed the pain and misfortunes of the vast Haitian underclass. She worked with Dadou Pasquet as her musical arranger and then with Bemol Telfort.
In 1983 Farah moved to Miami, FL where a fledgling, Haitian community was taking root after a wave of Haitians drifted ashore in the late seventies. Farah Juste became a community activist championing the rights of the recent immigrants before the Immigration and Naturalization Service and other entities discriminating against them. She became the unofficial spokesperson of the community and was often quoted in the Miami Herald, CNN and other news media.
In 1985 Farah opened her day care center, “Farah’s Angels”, which grew from 5 children to now, 120. She provides early child care to the children of North Miami.
In 1985 Farah got word that Mary-France Claude, daughter of Silvio Claude an opponent on the Duvalier dictatorship was living in distress in Caracas, Venezuela where she had been exiled. Farah immediately collected money and flew to Caracas, when she arrived she was accosted by thugs who beat her up and robbed her despite seeing that she was 8 months pregnant. Ironically the incident occured on March 8th, International Day of Womens Liberation.
In 1986 Farah released her defining song “Halleluyiah Pou Haiti” from her self-titled album “Farah.” She has also had the opportunity to perform with the woman who inspired her to sing, Martha Jean-Claude in both Montreal and in Cuba where Ms. Jean Claude lives in exile. Farah has also sung in New York’s Carnegie Hall and in venues in Paris, Spain, Switzerland and beyond.
On March 3rd, 1987 Farah was at the airport in Port-Au-Prince , Haiti preparing for departure when she noticed that some of Haiti’s elite were not required to pay the Airport Insurance tax. The tax put in place by the former Duvalier regime was supposed to insure passengers between the airport and the airplane. Farah questioned the officials at the airport about the validity of the tax, it’s purpose and the usage of it proceeds. As a result of her protest Farah was arrested and placed in Jail, a group of people gathered at the airport to demand her release. Upon her release she headed immediately to the radio to share her experiences and three days later President Henry Namphi abolished the tax which became known as the Farah Juste tax.
Each year on the anniversary of Haiti’s Independence as the 1st free Black Republic, Farah presents a concert at Miami’s James L. Knight Center. She is pictured on the International mural between Diana Ross and Patti Labelle at the James L. Knight Center with the Haitian Flag behind her head. Among the many accolades and titles Farah has received throughout her illustrious career are;
Minister of Haitian Affairs abroad
Prix de Popularite pour 1981 – Stephen Tuxedo
Outstanding Service Award – La Societe Haitienne De Cinema 1983
Outstanding Service Award – The Haitian Refugee Center 1986
Artiste La Plus Populaire De L’Anne – Nuit Des T & A Productions 1987
Farah Juste Day – Mayor Joe Celestin, The City of North Miami 2003
Farah Juste is married to Dr. Jean Claude Degranges and her children are Karen, Larry and Farah.
