Black Activism in the Red Party : Race, Discrimination, and the Cuban Communist Party, 1925-1962

This book shows how Black leadership in the Republic-era Cuban Communist Party fought for equality and how our assumptions about radical political parties can be misled. It is for students, scholars, and general readers interested in Black diasporic history, twentieth century politics, Latin America, the Caribbean, or Cuba specifically.

From the 1920s to the 1960s in Cuba, against the backdrop of revolutions, new constitutions, and rampant inequality, the Cuban Communist Party stood out as an unparalleled space for Black political leadership, activism, and advocacy. This party, led by Black political actors, including labor leaders, members of Black fraternal organizations and the Black intelligentsia, fought for an end to racial discrimination and used their voices to advocate for true equality. Analyzing US government surveillance records, Cuban newspapers, government records, party pamphlets, and more, Kaitlyn D. Henderson illustrates how the Cuban Communist Party created a unique space for an expression of Cuban Black nationalism and how communist parties in the western hemisphere strayed from traditional Marxist ideology. An important corrective, this book sheds light on the overlooked history of Black Communist leaders who fought for equality before the Revolution changed everything.