The Afro-Cuban Struggle for Equality Essay - 1405 Words

The Afro-Cuban Struggle for Equality Introduction During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the island of Cuba was in the process of emerging from a Spanish colony to an independent nation. Freedom from Spain, however, was not the only struggle that Cuba was experiencing at this time. After having been oppressed by slavery for several centuries, Afro-Cubans, who had joined the fight for independence in large numbers, were demanding equality in Cuban society. Nevertheless, whites, especially in the elite, continued to initiate discriminatory practices against them. As a last resort, Afro-Cubans staged an armed protest in response to the outlawing of their political party in 1912. Although valiant, the attempt was†¦show more content†¦All of these practices sought to keep Cuba’s African population at the lower levels of its society. Despite these discriminatory practices, the white elite insisted that Cuban society was fair to all its members by hiding behind what Helg calls the myth of racial equality. According to this myth, Cuba had attained racial equality because white masters had freed their slaves during the first war of attempted independence, blacks and whites had fought side by side in the war, and that if blacks were not successful, it was due to their own lack of merits (Helg 105-106). However, the myth failed to take into account that some masters had opposed the freeing of their slaves, that Afro-Cubans were over-represented in the independence army and in the lower ranks, and that slavery had deprived blacks of the opportunity to acquire the skills they needed to succeed in professional careers (105-106). Many Afro-Cubans felt that if Cuba achieved independence from Spain, they would finally obtain equality in its society. It was for this reason that thousands of them joined the Liberation Army. Helg says that the war gave blacks a new pride in themselves and their African origin (63). The opportunity to fight for Cuba’s freedom provided Afro-Cubans with an expectation for a better future, especially during times of true fraternity, when they fought side by side with whites (Helg 59). Although not as numerous as white leaders, black and mulatto militaryShow MoreRelated The Racial Struggle of Afro-Cubans Essay1398 Words   |  6 PagesRacial Struggle of Afro-Cubans Introduction Afro-Cubans struggled to no avail for racial equality between the years 1886-1912. The slaughter of protesting blacks in 1912 shows that the battle cries for equality of Antonio Maceo and Josà © Martà © during the war for independence had dissolved. What was left was a unequal Cuban society, divided racially and fearing a black revolution. 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