 The United States occupation of Haiti, which began in 1915, left a powerful impression on the young Duvalier.He was also aware of the latent political power of the poor black majority and their resentment against the tiny mulatto (black and white mixed-race) elite.Duvalier supported Pan-African ideals, and became involved in the "" movement of Haitian author , both of which led to his advocacy of Haitian Vodou, an ethnological study of which later paid enormous political dividends for him.