How Did The Afro-Cubans Achieved After The Cuban Revolution?

The history of Fidel Castro’s and the Cuban Revolution, has left many of the citizens of Cuba in great debate over his legacy. Castro can be credited for the anti-Batista movement, were he and his fellow members of the coalition, overthrew U.S.-backed dictator, Fulgencio Bastita on December 31, 1958. Castro, can also be proclaimed as the man who put an end to racism within the developing nation. He also implemented a national literacy campaign. However, as the year’s progress, questions remain unanswered. Such as, with Cuba being a Marxist-Leninist society, how is racism still within Cuba? Can equality and liberty ever be achieved? Therefore, the anti-discrimination laws and reform policies made after the Cuban Revolution, have had both
Benson states, “Afro-Cubans responded in a variety of ways. One way is that obviously, many people supported it. When Castro made the announcement, and said, “We’re going to eliminate racial discrimination, and this will be one of the battles of the Revolution,” many blacks and mulatos applauded. They were incredibly excited that revolutionary leaders were condemning racism. There were also activists who negotiated with the state and tried to push for more. In the book, I explore how Afro-Cuban activists used the exact same rhetoric that the government employed in the campaign against racial discrimination. However, they turn the rhetoric on itself in order to pressure the government to provide more rights and resources to Afro-Cubans. Once the revolutionary government began using antiracist rhetoric and linked it to the Revolution, some Afro-Cubans responded with even more robust
Under Castro’s government, Cuba would push for and overall literacy program. The 1961 Literacy campaign had all colors of Cubans coming together to conquer the illiteracy issue of the nation. According to Benson, illiteracy in Cuba decreased from 23.6% to 3.9%, with the help of 270,000 literacy teachers, and more than half were youth. Graciela Chailoux, who is a professor at the University of Havana, describes the Literacy Campaign. Chailoux, was just an 11-year-old Afro-Cuban girl when she joined the campaign. Spending approximately 8 months within the countryside of Cuba, teaching black and white Cubans how to read. Chailoux states, “It was a special moment and everyone’s strength was put into