The history of Islam on the island of Hispaniola (which Haiti shares with the Dominican Republic) began with slavery in Haïti.[citation needed] Although many[quantify] were forced to abandon Islam over time,[when?] their Islamic heritage has persisted[how?] in the culture of native Haitians. Additionally, a revisionist history of Dutty Boukman, whose death is largely considered the start of the Haitian Revolution, suggests that he was Muslim.[1] In the early portion of the 20th century, a wave of Christian Arab immigrants came to the Americas, in which a surprisingly noticeable amount settled in Haiti (and other countries as well).[citation needed]