1935 – Afro-Cuban Protesters March Against U.S. Imperialism

On May 19, 1935, Afro-Cuban laborers in Havana organized mass protests against U.S. imperialist influence and local racial exploitation. The protests were sparked by the dismissal of Black workers from sugar mills and public transportation jobs in favor of white laborers backed by American business interests. These demonstrations represented more than labor disputes—they were part of a broader Afro-Cuban resistance movement tied to global anti-colonial currents. The protestors invoked José Martí’s vision of racial equality and Pan-Caribbean unity. May 19 is especially symbolic in Cuba as it’s also the day of Martí’s death in 1895, aligning Afro-Cuban struggle with national liberation. The 1935 uprising connected Cuba’s Black freedom fight to broader movements in Haiti, Jamaica, and the United States, marking the island as a vital node in international Black resistance.