Afro Cuban Resistance

Afro Cuban communities have been resisting slavery and oppression since people of African origin were first taken to the island to work as slaves. According to Gabino La Rosa Corzo (2003), the resistance of Afro Cubans can be separated and analyzed in periods; the first period can be characterized by colonial rule, and the second period can be characterized by the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The first period of Afro Cuban resistance to slavery occurred during the initial circumstance of colonial rule. During this time, the first slave rebellion took place in 1533 in mines in the Oriente, which is the east side of the island (La Rosa Corzo, 2003). More uprisings took place, especially on the east side of the island, during the
The salient method of resistance during this time was running away, but no documentation of those runaway slaves from the 1500s existed until well into the eighteenth century (La Rosa Corzo). Despite the fact that not many people of African origin were actively rebelling in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, there were still conditions brewing for more and larger rebellions. In 1605, the Cuban census reported that that thirty-six percent of the population in Santiago, the capital city, was composed of people of African origin, while only twelve percent was native to Cuba (La Rosa Corzo, 2003). This showed an increase in African slaves paired with a decrease in Indians, meaning that the likelihood of a larger uprising or more widespread type of resistance was bound to occur. This can especially be seen in the second periodization of Afro Cuban resistance to slavery. The second period of Afro Cuban resistance can be characterized by the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The first reference to a runaway settlement was documented to have been formed in 1731. The settlement was inhabited by people who were previously free for an extended period of time, and were attempting to avoid being placed
The United States worked in favor of freedom for the Cuban people from Spanish rule (Guzman, 2015). According to Guzman, President McKinley threatened to give Cuba weapons to retaliate against Spain, unless they agreed to resolve their issue amicably (2015). The threat worked, and Cuba was scheduled to be free starting in 1898 (Guzman, 2015). Initially, the United States recognized Cuban independence in 1898 with the Teller Amendment; however, the Platt Amendment of 1901 gave the U.S. the authority to get involved in Cuban affairs if it felt that Cuba was (Guzman, 2015). From that point on, the United States became deeply immersed in Cuban society. By the mid-twentieth century, the U.S. owned hotels, casinos, metal plants, insurance agencies, and more on the island (Pérez, 1988). The United States supported Cuba, especially when the island was under the leadership of Fulgencio Batista (Guzman, 2015). According to Guzman, Batista was an advocate for American goods and services being prevalent in Cuba (2015). Following the uprising against the Batista regime, the United States sent military aid to Cuba in order to assist Batista (Guzman, 2015). The help failed, and Fidel Castro ended up taking control of the island. The relationship between Cuba and the U.S. has been stressed ever since Castro came into power. His anti-American and pro-Cuban ideals