Activist Who Gave Name "Little Haiti" Its Name Passes Away

LITTLE HAITI (CBSMiami) – A man who spent decades as an activist in Miami's Haitian community died late Monday. He was 87.

Viter Juste was born Dec. 15, 1924, in La Gonaïves in Haiti. He left the country for political reasons, settling in New York City and later bringing over his wife and children.

In the 1980s, Juste and other community members objected to the Miami-Dade School Board's policy of prohibiting children of undocumented Haitians from attending school, resulting in the policy being changed.

Juste also helped found the Haitian American Community Association of Dade, opened the Les Cousins record and book store in the 7800 block of Northeast Second Avenue, which thrived for more than two decades.

The association is credited with coining the phrase Little Haiti for one of Miami's neighborhoods.

Juste said the name Little Port-au-Prince was too long. To this day, the name Little Haiti remains.

(©2012 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald contributed material for this report.)