On November 30,2009 a group of 60 prominent African-American scholars, artists and professionals published a ‘Declaration of Support for the Civil Rights Struggle in Cuba’ in which they made a number of serious charges about the treatment of Cuba’s Black population. The statement drew a quick response in the form of a ‘Message from Cuba’ signed by nine prominent Cuban writers, intellectuals and artists.
Click here for African-American Declaration on Cuba
Click here for Message From Cuba in Response
Related items
Challenges of the Racial Question in Cuba Esteban Morales
Commission against racism and racial discrimination to be constituted CUBARTE
Human Rights in Cuba: A missed shot on the wrong flank Pedro de la Hoz
Laying the groundwork for another 1912 Alberto Jones
Cuban Intellectuals to Honour Antonio Maceo, the ‘Bronze Titan’ Granma
Letter from Jamaica: Rex Nettleford, Barry Chevannes, Rupert Lewis and Maureen Warner-Lewis
Open Letter to Carlos Moore from Pedro Perez Sarduy
UNESCO Honours Cuba and Cubans AfroCuba Web
AfroCuba Web The African presence in Cuba
Reflections on Race and The Status Of People of African Descent in Revolutionary Cuba, by Eugene Godfried
I suppose in every Latin American society, including Cuban, Brazil, Columbia, the DR, one will find blatant acts and attitudes of racism against Blacks. Such is the deep, enduring nature of racism. There is no place where you can say it has been eliminated. But one cannot ignore the extraordinary contributions of Cuba, a struggling underdeveloped country, to Black societies, including to Jamaica and Guyana, and the positive changes that have taken place in Cuba itself since the revolution. Many of those who signed the Afro-American statement are well informed , learned persons who should know better than to lend their names to such a carte blanche racist condemnation of Cuba. I do not know the circumstances of the case of Dr. Ferrer that have so enraged them– and maybe there is good reason for a strong protest on this? It is also strange that the Cuban reply makes no reference to Dr .Ferrer’s case! What is going on?? – Havelock