The Afro-Cuban Struggle for Equality
The Afro-Cuban struggle for equality essentially began after the emancipation of the slaves in 1886. This struggle would continue until 1912, when a brutal government massacre ended their hopes of real equality. The Afro-Cuban struggle for equality was a key issue in Cuba’s fight for independence, as well as, Cuba’s fight to find its identity and character.
The first attempt to unite the Afro-Cuban community was the formation of the Directorio Central de las Sociedades de la Raza de Color in 1887. This was the first black political party within Latin America. "The main focus of the struggle led by these Afro-Cubans and the Directorio was equal rights and equal protection under the law." [35]
The Spanish did not see the Directorio in the same manner. They thought it was a tool, used by blacks and mulattos that used racism against whites in order for the black population to take over Cuba. When the black community said they wanted to be considered equals, the white community was hearing another Haiti. They feared that the black community was going to revolt against them and try to take over the whole country. This white fear was at the core of the equality issue and represents the white person’s main rejection of equality.
The Afro-Cuban community tried to explain the Directorio by "explaining that the Directorio was not a black party uniting Afro-Cubans in a supposed hatred of whites. It was the opposite of a racist movement and struggled to suppress racism." [52] Afro-Cubans knew that they would never be accepted as equals with the white class, so they helped decided to help aid in the cause for independence of Cuba from Spain. They hoped that if they helped fight to win their countries independence, they would be able to achieve greater equality and a better role in society.
…their goal was probably not only independence from Spain but also the creation of a new society in which they would fully participate. Blacks rebelled against racism and inequality, landless peasants regardless of race stood up for land, popular cabecillas wanted political power, and orientales in general hoped to gain control of their region’s destiny. The potential for the war to become a social revolution was strong indeed. [57]
The war was a colorless one. Cubans fought next to Cubans. Cubans looked at the war as a new beginning.
Within Aline Helg’s book titled, Our Rightful Share: The Afro-Cuban Struggle for Equality, 1886-1912, she includes many historical events that serve as a foundation for her arguments in order to emphasize the "black struggle for equality" starting in the late 19th century and according to her, still transpiring today. These events are, the formation of the first black independent political party called the, Partido Independiente de Color (146), the United States’ role during intervention and the black struggle to overcome the system of racial hierarchies that had developed in Cuba. Blacks had to fight for equality while simultaneously being, "…accused of racism and antinationalism". (145) According to Helg, this placed an undue burden on the black groups that were organizing to demand their "rightful share" because it made divided the goals of their plight into many different facets, thus yielding a lack of unity necessary for their success. During the United States’ intervention, Cuban nationalism as a whole was threatened which also served to downplay the importance of demands being made by the Partido’s leader, Estenoz. The United States displayed a greater concern on the affirmation of its power as an international police, rather than allying its resources to help the indignant and discriminated Afro-Cubans. All of these circumstances illustrate the extremities of the political and social institutions that the Afro-Cubans attempted to defeat but could not. They also exemplify the perpetuation of the black struggle, and how it affected and continues to affect the lives of Afro-Cubans in present-day Cuba.
One mission by Che Guevara was he, “strove to create a proper industrial base and to diminish the economy’s dependence on sugar,” (515). To improve the milk and meat production in Cuba efforts were made to breed a new kind of cattle. This effort failed which resulted in a famine because of this and with the U. S trade embargo the Cuban government began to give rations of daily necessities to citizens, (The Caribbean: A History of the Region and Its People). Guevara efforts were too expensive for Cuba causing a crisis. The government, “decided to resolve its crisis by means of a “revolutionary offensive”: first, the nationalization of all services, restaurants, shops, and petty commercial iinstallations... witha production goal of 10 million tons of sugar (516). That goal did not work causing Fidel Castro to offer to resign. Cuba started to become a communist society. In terms of who was in charge and their role in, The Caribbean: A History of the Region and Its People state, “Castro was the visible head, the spokesman, and the international strategists while his brother Raul would become more and more the chief of personnel, the head of the armed forces and secret services,”
Both Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World and George Orwell’s 1984 share the standard dystopian format of an individual versus an oppressive, or suppressive society, but they equally share their differences. While both societies are oppressive in their own rights, the societies uphold their communal beliefs in different fashions. The World State in Brave New World use non-violent means to control the population and to avoid uprisings. The use of hypnopedia, or sleep learning, along with vigorous conditioning throughout one’s life, the state can install rational propaganda against the population. This use of rational propaganda, or convincing a population that something is in the best interest for themselves and the distributor, ensures that obeying the societal expectations becomes a way of life and is something that can be upheld by the population alone with minimal government interjection. However, the state uses exiling away from civilization as punishment to those who go against the ideals of the society.
In 1984, George Orwell explores the many facets of a negative utopia. Orwell seems to focus on the measures that the government takes to maintain a public of plebeians who have no personality or identity and believe that they are not unique individuals, but instead are part of a greater senseless mob of people who constantly work for a hostile and oppressive government which is involved in incessant wars. These people are taught to love. They then learn to fear their government because they believe all of the propaganda that is constantly instilled into their minds. They willing follow their government without contest for the duration of their meaningless lives. The government controls all forms of the media (thus denying the people the basic right of free speech) and use it to personify the government (known as “big brother”) .The government therefore seems omnipotent, or all knowing and always correct. Forecasts are changed from one week to the next always proving the government was correct. As was mentioned before, many of the rights that present day Westerners take for gran...
The renaissance or “rebirth” was a cultural awakening which spanned from the fourteenth to sixteenth century. A growing interest in humanist traits and classical ideas heavily influenced the art during the renaissance. A growing community of artists provided much needed competition for their profession. The renaissance introduced many different and modern ideas but also remained obedient to classical belief. The unique art of the renaissance spread throughout Europe. Northern European art differed tremendously from Italian art.
In 1895, American citizens took notice of a Cuban revolt against their corrupt Spanish oppressor. The Cuban insurgents reasoned that if they did enough damage, the US might move in and help the Cubans win their independence. Not only did Americans sympathize with the Cubans upon seeing tragic reports in the newspaper, but they also empathized that the US once fought for their own independence from Britain. If France didn’t intervene, the Americans probably would not have won their freedom. As if this did not rally enough hate for the Spanish among the American Public, fuel was added to the flame by the Spanish General (“Butcher”)
The Cuban revolution was one that transformed Cuba into an independent socialist society. This revolution sent a message around the globe. The message: “ Socialism can be achieved and capitalism, with its culture stripping mechanism’s can be supplemented”. However, the revolution did leave its mark on Cuba. This can be seen in the events that took place during the early stages of the revolution. The effects of the revolution were positive for certain sections of the population and negative for others.
In this paper I'm focusing mainly on Renaissance art work, since that was the assignment, but I feel it's important to also mention the other important parts of the Renaissance, architecture, science, politics and religion.
...in Renaissance Italy deteriorating during invasions, culture persistently continued to impressively flourish as the Renaissance reached its highest artistic expression through its classical models and invention of new artistic customs, which proves how vital culture remained to this point in history. Humanism remained an impacting dominant cultural force in Renaissance Italy, gaining popularity amongst style and customs amongst Italian Renaissance artists and their modernized style of creating art. Historically, an artist’s individuality and consideration for untraditional customs had never been previously assumed imperative until the impacts of Italian Renaissance culture. Not only was the Italian Renaissance a movement associated with Greek and Latin Works, but more importantly it established a strong, forever impacting sense of culture among European history.
The Spanish culture is rich in history. They demonstrate a sense of family, religion and community in order to maintain their heritage. My paper will review briefly the Spanish culture and evaluate the contrast and similarities between them and African Americans. This flow chart will range with differences and similarities on religion, socialization and there place in the future of our country. This journey allowed me to learn a great deal.
The term Renaissance has, over the years, become synonymous with ideas of expanding civilisation, rebirth, and cultural expansion. The most renowned example of a country’s cultural renaissance was that of the Italians; however this is only one example of such a cultural and philosophical paradigm. To begin with, a “renaissance” is a revolution of the rebirth of ideals within a country’s individuals: self-awareness, art, architecture, religion and science, to name a few. For it is these ideas that have given civilisations the drive and perseverance to rise from a period wrought with fallow and of social, cultural, and economical regression. Many prominent world powers today, and subsequently in the past, have went through a period of renaissance,
The Renaissance was a turning point for art. Many new styles and techniques emerged from this time period. Compared with the paintings of the Middle Ages, during the Renaissance, paintings became more realistic and more attention was directed to the detail of each person. Perspective and a sense of depth and space were included in the paintings. We can examine these features in the 15th century paintings of the Annunciation by Botticelli and Campin.
The renaissance is one of the most culturally, religiously, and artistically inventive periods in the history of mankind. From giant sculptures carved to perfection to literary works of art that induced deep thinking, the renaissance demonstrated that man’s view of itself was expeditiously becoming refined. Many of the most influential people in history, Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Raphael, and Dante lived during the time of the great reinvention of Italian society. The renaissance altered the way education, art, and innovation were perceived and forever changed the thinking of the common man.
The term renaissance, describing the period of European history from the early 14th to the late 16th century, is derived from the French word 'rebirth'. This period is described as the revival of the classical forms originally developed by the ancient Greeks and Romans, and an intensified concern with the secular life--interest in humanism and assertion of the importance of the individual. The renaissance period in art history corresponds to the beginning of the great western age of discovery and exploration, when a general desire developed to examine all aspects of nature and the world. Art, during this period, became valued -- not merely as a vehicle for religious and social identity, but even more as a mode of personal, aesthetic expression.
The “Renaissance” refers to the period in European history when social and political changes were brought about as an interest for classical literature, art and learning spawned in the Italian city states during the 14th century. Revived from the values and intellectual traditions of the ancient Greece and Rome, this era led literary scholars and great thinkers to strive for self-perfection and to replace the predominant Christian church doctrines of the middle ages with the humanistic sentiments of the new age.