- Cuba Libre! - Marti was a Cuban revolutionary, patriot, journalist and poet who is best known as a leader in the fight for Cuban independence His life was completely devoted to the idea of a “free Cuba” and democracy without slavery Exemplified “the pen is mightier than the sword” – his writings allowed Cubans to visualize freedom as he did

- Personal Background - José Marti was born in Havana, Cuba in 1853 He started writing for newspapers and journals at 16 - even then all of his writings centered around Cuban independence His outspoken views on the fate of Cuba frequently resulted in exile – he spent most of his life living abroad His legacy carries on both with Castro and with Cuban immigrants in Miami – both sides claim that Marti would support their side in the struggle for a successful, independent Cuba

- Political exile - 1870 – Exiled to Spain after being convicted of treason and sedition for support of the independence of Cuban landowners from Spain, as well as the abolition of slavery (Ten Years’ War) 1875 – Moved to Mexico to reunite with his family 1877 – Moved back to Cuba (under a different name), but within a year was accused of subversion and conspiracy to overthrow the government 1878 – Exiled to Spain, then to New York City (served as consul for Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina, wrote for various newspapers, and poetry – all about Cuban independence 1894 – Marti organized other Cuban exiles in an attempt to go to Cuba and start a revolution, but was unsuccessful. Joined a larger revolutionary group and invaded Cuba – he was killed in battle within 2 weeks

Marti and the united states Jose Marti had mixed feelings about the US. He had lived in NYC for many years and used it as the base of operations for the attempted Cuban overthrow of Spain Worked closely with Cuban immigrants in Florida and New York to further the cause of Cuban independence Admired certain characteristics of the US such as education, agricultural advancement, strong work ethic, freedom of speech

Marti and the United States At the same time, Marti was also deeply critical of the US and its imperialistic motives. He was worried that his campaign to liberate Cuba from Spain was in jeopardy as the US talked of buying the island from Spain and making it a protectorate US imperialism and paternalistic attitude threatened the Cuban identity Marti was also critical of US politics and racial relations. He wrote about the corruption he found evident in US political activities and warned of large-scale social upheaval due to the abuse/discrimination of the lower-classes and various racial groups.

Marti’s Legacy in Florida

Writings of jose marti Marti wrote in various ways about his desire for an independent Cuba but all of them reflected his belief in freedom, liberty and democracy The key to this “Cuba libre” was the preservation of Cuba’s unique identity and culture and the complete abolition of slavery (he was very aware of the racial/social divisions that existed and wrote frequently on how to unite these groups harmoniously) While he promoted peace, Marti did argue that war was necessary in order to gain independence from Cuba His writings furthered his ideas regarding a “free Cuba” among the Cuban people (both on the island and abroad –esp. Miami and NYC) much more so than military efforts could have done

Marti’s latin American legacy Jose Marti was committed to the idea that Latin Americans needed to know the reality of their history in order to create its own culture and has definitely helped shaped the idea of a modern Latin American identity. This meant each country embracing its own cultural elements – creating literature, music, and art that represented each nation. It also meant that, while looking to the US and Europe for inspiration, Latin America had to create government institutions and laws that reflected the country itself. There is still historical debate over whether Jose Marti was truly a revolutionary leader that was essential to eventual Cuban liberation or whether he was the “precursor to Che Guevara” and was more of a weak, ineffectual philosopher than actual agitator for freedom.

Jose Marti Memorial The monument of Jose Marti, located in Havana, Cuba, is a 59-foot high statue done in white marble. The building behind the monument is the Jose Marti Museum, which is dedicated to the life of the Cuban national hero, and exhibits photos, letters, and documents.