Afro-Cubans facts for kids
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| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 1,034,044 (9.3% of the Cuban Population) (2012) |
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| Regions with significant populations | |
| Eastern Cuba | |
| Languages | |
| Spanish, Lucumí, Habla Congo, English, Portuguese, Cuban Sign Language | |
| Religion | |
| Afro-Cuban religions Abakuá, Arará religion, Cuban Vodú, Palo, Santería Popular religions Predominantly Roman Catholic, minorities of Protestant |
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| Related ethnic groups | |
| Yoruba people, Arará, Cape Verdean Cuban, Ganga-Longoba, Haitian Cuban |
Afro-Cubans are people in Cuba who have ancestors from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "Afro-Cuban" also describes the special mix of African and other cultures found in Cuba. This includes their unique religion, music, language, and art.
Contents
Who are Afro-Cubans?
In 2012, a study counted 11.2 million Cubans. About 1 million Cubans said they were Afro-Cuban or Black. Another 3 million said they were "mulatto" or "mestizo," meaning they have mixed ancestry. This shows that many people on the island have some African roots.
Some studies suggest the number of Cubans with African heritage is even higher. One study from the University of Miami estimated it could be 62%. This difference might be because of how people identify themselves. Also, some people still connect to specific African groups. These include the Yoruba (or Lucumí), Akan, Arará, and Kongo.
A study from 2014 looked at the genes of Cubans. It found that the population was about 72% European, 20% African, and 8% Native American.
Where do Afro-Cubans Live?
Afro-Cubans live all over Cuba. However, Eastern Cuba has more Afro-Cubans than other areas. Havana has the largest number of Afro-Cubans of any city.
Recently, many immigrants from Africa have come to Cuba. Most are from Angola. Also, people from Jamaica and Haiti have moved to Cuba. They often settle in the eastern part of the island. This is because it is close to their home countries. This adds to the number of people of African descent there.
After the 1959 Cuban revolution led by Fidel Castro, more Afro-Cubans lived on the island. Many white Cubans, especially professionals, left Cuba. Only a small number of Afro-Cubans left. Most went to the United States, especially Florida. There, they are known as Afro-Cuban Americans.
Afro-Cubans in Africa
Some African countries have people whose ancestors were Afro-Cubans. For example, Nigeria and Spanish Guinea saw ex-slaves from Cuba arrive. They came as workers in the 17th and 19th centuries. In Spanish Guinea, they were called Emancipados. In Nigeria, they were known as Amaros. Even though they could return to Cuba, many stayed and married local people.
Angola also has Afro-Cuban communities called Amparos. They are descendants of Afro-Cuban soldiers. These soldiers came to Angola in 1975 during the Angolan Civil War. Fidel Castro sent thousands of troops there. Today, about 100,000 Spanish-speaking Afro-Cubans live in Angola.
Haitian-Cubans
Haitian Creole language and culture came to Cuba in the early 1800s. This happened when Haitian immigrants arrived. Haiti was a French colony called Saint-Domingue then. The Haitian Revolution (1791–1804) caused French settlers to flee to Cuba with their Haitian slaves. They mostly went to eastern Cuba, especially Guantánamo. There, the French started growing sugar and coffee.
Later, more Haitians came to Cuba to work as braceros (manual laborers) in sugar cane fields. Their working conditions were very hard. Many planned to go back to Haiti but stayed in Cuba. For many years, Haitians and their descendants in Cuba did not openly identify as Haitian. They often did not speak Creole. In eastern Cuba, many Haitians faced unfair treatment. Today, Creole classes are offered in some cities. There is also a radio show in Creole.
Afro-Cuban Religions and Music
Most Afro-Cubans are Roman Catholic. Some are Protestant. Afro-Cuban religions include Santería, Palo Monte, and others. These religions mix African traditions with Roman Catholicism.
Music of Afro-Cubans
Since the mid-1800s, Afro-Cubans have created new music styles. Genres like son, conga, mambo, and chachachá mix European and African sounds. Cuban music changed a lot, moving towards African styles with more improvisation.
Afro-Cuban musicians have also added their own experiences to existing music. They sing about life in a socialist country and as Black people. Music is very important in Cuba. People are proud of the mixed cultures in Afro-Cuban music.
Afro-Cuban music has two main types: religious and everyday. Religious music includes chants, rhythms, and instruments used in spiritual ceremonies. Everyday music includes rumba, guaguancó, and carnival music. Almost all Cuban music has African rhythms. Cuban popular music blends influences from Spain and Africa in a unique way. For example, son uses African instruments with Spanish poetic forms.
In the early 1960s, Afro-Cuban artists started a movement. They brought African-influenced drumming to the front of Cuban music. For instance, Enrique Bonne's drumming groups used Cuban folklore and jazz. Pello de Afrokan created a new dance rhythm called Mozambique. It became popular after his group performed in 1964.
Before the revolution, Afro-Cuban religious music was not respected. Drummers were sometimes stopped, and instruments were taken. After the revolution, Afro-Cuban music could be played more openly. But authorities were still cautious because of its link to religion. The Conjunto Folklórico Nacional was created to support Afro-Cuban artistic traditions.
In the 1990s, Afro-Cuban music became a big part of Cuba's tourism. People in religious groups earned money by performing and teaching drumming, songs, and dances to tourists.
Rap music became popular in Cuba around 1999. The hip-hop group Orishas helped this. Cuban hip-hop often talks about issues like racism and global problems.
Afro-Cuban Language
Other parts of Afro-Cuban culture can be seen in language. This includes how words are put together, vocabulary, and speaking style.
Afro-Cuban religions still use some African languages. Santería and Abakuá use languages like Lucumí and Ñañigo in their ceremonies. Palo uses a mix of Spanish and Kikongo, called Habla Congo.
Racial Fairness in Cuba
Some experts say that unfair treatment based on race still exists in Cuba. Afro-Cubans are sometimes left out of jobs in tourism, where they could earn good tips. They are also often given poorer housing. And they may not get management jobs.
After the revolution, the Cuban government worked to end unfair treatment. Fidel Castro spoke out against racial discrimination in 1959. He said that ending discrimination in jobs was very important. He also passed laws to stop unfair treatment. He tried to close the gap between wealthy white Cubans and Afro-Cubans. He did this with programs like a big effort to teach everyone to read.
In 1961, Castro said that racism and discrimination were over in Cuba. He said the revolution's laws ended unemployment and discrimination. While this was inspiring, many felt it was too soon to say.
Some research suggests that social discrimination still happens. This is even though economic discrimination might be lower. The government's message made it easy for people to deny racism. This happened without fixing old stereotypes. Many Cubans believe that racism doesn't exist because of their history of mixed-race marriages. They call this "racial harmony" or "racial democracy." But for some, this idea has slowed down real progress toward fairness.
Despite promises, racial discrimination against Afro-Cubans is still a concern. It has even led to protests in Havana, where many Black Cubans live.
Afrocubanismo: A Cultural Movement
In the 1920s and 1930s, Cuba had a cultural movement called Afrocubanismo. It focused on Afro-Cuban culture. This movement greatly influenced Cuban literature, poetry, painting, music, and sculpture. It was the first art movement in Cuba to focus on African culture.
It highlighted the fight for independence from Spain, African slavery, and building a unique Cuban identity. The goal was to bring African folklore and rhythm into traditional art forms.
How the Movement Started
The movement grew from a new interest in African heritage. It developed in two different ways. One way came from European artists and thinkers. They were interested in African art and folk music. This was similar to the Harlem Renaissance in New York. It also matched European art styles like Cubism, which used African masks. White Cuban thinkers like Alejo Carpentier and Fernando Ortiz were part of this. Their art sometimes showed Afro-Cubans in simple, old-fashioned ways.
Poems and essays by Afro-Cuban writers started to appear in the 1930s. They wrote about their own heritage. Artists like Nicolás Guillén and Alberto Arredondo brought attention to African culture. It became a way for Afro-Cubans to feel strong and unique.
This led to the second stage of the movement. Afro-Cuban artists began to create art that truly showed what it meant to be Afro-Cuban. Starting in the 1930s, this art showed a more serious view of Black culture. It included African religions and the struggles of slavery. Nicolás Guillén was a key figure in this stage.
What Afrocubanismo Achieved
The Afrocubanismo movement created a new art form. It combined ideas from both European and African cultures. Even though the movement itself ended by the early 1940s, Afro-Cuban culture remains very important to Cuba's identity.
The Cuban Revolution later encouraged more study of African roots in Cuba. The Revolution's ideas included Black history as a vital part of Cuban identity. The government has supported projects to restore the work of Afro-Cubans. This helps to include an African-driven identity in Cuba's society.
Famous Afro-Cubans
Arts and Entertainment
- Carlos Acosta - dancer
- Laz Alonso - actor
- Renny Arozarena - actor
- Gastón Baquero - poet
- Matt Cedeño - actor and model
- Celia Cruz - singer
- Sammy Davis Jr - singer, dancer, actor
- Rosario Dawson - actress
- Ángel Escobar - poet
- Lola Falana - actress, singer and dancer
- Rome Flynn- actor
- Sara Gómez - filmmaker
- Nicolás Guillén - poet
- Nestor Hernández - photographer
- Georgina Herrera - poet
- Wifredo Lam - artist
- Coco López - artist
- Faizon Love - actor
- Mellow Man Ace - rapper
- Nancy Morejón - poet
- Luis Moro - actor and filmmaker
- Gina Torres - actress
- Alexis Valdés - artist and comedian
- Soledad O’Brien - journalist
- Karamo Brown
Music
- Afro-Cuban All Stars
- Francisco Aguabella — percussionist
- Federico A. "Tata Güines" Soto Alejo — percussionist and bandleader
- Carlos Alfonso — bassist and leader of Síntesis
- X Alfonso — singer
- Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros — trumpeter and bandleader
- Guillermo Barreto — percussionist
- Abelardo Barroso — singer and bandleader
- Mario Bauzá — musician and songwriter
- Ignacio Berroa — percussionist
- Leo Brouwer — composer and guitarist
- Descemer Bueno — singer, composer and record producer
- Christina Milian — singer-songwriter, actress
- Cándido Camero — percussionist
- Humberto Cané — tres player and singer
- "Changuito" — percussionist
- Félix Chappottín — trumpeter and bandleader
- Julito Collazo — percussionist and singer
- Celia Cruz — singer
- Anga Díaz — percussionist
- Barbarito Diez — singer
- Addys D'Mercedes — singer
- Richard Egües — flute player
- Ibrahim Ferrer — singer (Buena Vista Social Club)
- Juan de Marcos González — musical director of the Buena Vista Social Club
- Rubén González — pianist
- Graciela — singer
- Francisco Raúl "Machito" Gutiérrez Grillo — singer, musician, and bandleader
- Marcelino "Rapindey" Guerra — singer and composer
- Orlando "Cascarita" Guerra — singer
- Amaury Gutiérrez — singer
- Óscar Hernández — songwriter
- Generoso "Tojo" Jiménez — trombonist
- Enrique Jorrín — violinist, composer, and inventor of the cha-cha-chá rhythm
- Pedro Knight — trumpeter and manager of Celia Cruz
- Xiomara Laugart — singer
- Calixto Leicea — trumpeter, songwriter, and arranger
- Pío Leyva — singer-songwriter (Buena Vista Social Club)
- Olivia Longott — singer
- Israel "Cachao" López — bassist, composer, and bandleader, creator of the mambo
- Orestes "Macho" López — pianist and songwriter
- Orlando "Cachaíto" López — bassist (Buena Vista Social Club)
- Antonio Machín — singer and bandleader
- Kalimba Marichal — Mexican-born singer, actor, and athlete
- Rita Marley — singer and widow of Bob Marley
- Cheo Marquetti — singer and bandleader
- Luis Marquetti — composer
- Mellow Man Ace — rapper
- Celeste Mendoza — singer
- Pablo Milanés — singer
- Christina Milián — singer
- Rita Montaner — singer, pianist and actress
- Benny Moré — singer and bandleader
- Fats Navarro — jazz musician
- Bola de Nieve — singer and pianist
- Armando Peraza — percussionist
- Ignacio Piñeiro — musician, bandleader, and composer
- Omara Portuondo — singer (Buena Vista Social Club)
- Luciano "Chano" Pozo — Afro-Cuban/jazz percussionist, composer, and bandleader
- Dámaso Pérez Prado — "the king of mambo," composer
- Francisco "Compay Segundo" Repilado — singer (Buena Vista Social Club), composer and bandleader
- Orlando "Puntilla" Ríos — percussionist, singer, and bandleader
- Arsenio Rodríguez — musician, bandleader, and songwriter
- Yotuel Romero — singer
- Lázaro Ros — singer
- Gonzalo Rubalcaba — jazz pianist
- Ramón "Mongo" Santamaría — musician, songwriter, and bandleader
- Ramón "Monguito el Único" Sardiñas Quián — singer
- Jon Secada — singer
- Sen Dog — rapper and member of Cypress Hill
- Gustavo Tamayo — güiro player
- Bebo Valdés — pianist
- Carlos "Patato" Valdes — conga player and composer
- Chucho Valdés — pianist and leader of Irakere
- Javier Vázquez — songwriter, arranger, and pianist
- María Teresa Vera — guitarist, singer and composer
- Lupe Victoria "La Lupe" Yolí Raymond — singer
- Yusa — female bassist
Politics
- Salvador Valdés Mesa — First Vice President of Cuba
- Juan Almeida Bosque — politician and composer
- Víctor Dreke — Cuban revolutionary
- Juan Gualberto Gómez — 1890s revolutionary leader
- Mariana Grajales — part of the Cuban Independence War
- Esteban Lazo Hernández — politician
- Antonio Maceo — 1890s revolutionary leader
- Jorge Luis García Pérez — human rights activist
- Rafael Serra — writer and political journalist
- Harry "Pombo" Villegas — Cuban Communist guerilla
- Enrique Tarrio — far-right activist
Science
- Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez — cosmonaut; first Latin American and first person of African descent in outer space
Sports
- Aroldis Chapman — MLB baseball player
- Gilbert Arenas — NBA basketball player
- Javier Arenas (American football) — NFL football player
- Yoel Romero — Olympic wrestler and mixed martial artist
- Héctor Lombard — Olympic Judoka and mixed martial artist
- Alexis Vila — Olympic wrestler
- Bert Campaneris — MLB baseball player
- José Cardenal — MLB baseball player
- Joel Casamayor — boxer; WBC Lightweight Champion
- José Contreras — MLB baseball player
- Martín Dihigo — Negro leagues baseball player, Baseball Hall of Fame
- Yuniel Dorticos - Boxer: two-time cruiserweight world champion
- Juan Carlos Gómez — boxer; former WBC Cruiserweight Champion
- Liván Hernández — MLB baseball player
- Orlando "El Duque" Hernández — MLB baseball player
- Yoan Pablo Hernández — professional boxer; former IBF and Ring magazine cruiserweight champion
- Kid Chocolate — boxer; former World Featherweight and Junior Lightweight Champion
- Orestes Kindelán — prolific home run hitter in Cuban baseball
- Minnie Miñoso — MLB baseball player
- José Nápoles — boxer; former World Welterweight Champion
- Sergio Oliva — bodybuilder
- Tony Oliva — MLB baseball player, three time batting champion
- Luis Ortiz — professional heavyweight boxer
- Brayan Peña — MLB baseball player
- Tony Pérez — MLB Hall of Fame baseball player
- Anthony Echemendia — amateur wrestler
- Juan Pizarro — MLB baseball player
- Yasiel Puig — MLB baseball player
- Ana Fidelia Quirot — athlete
- Alexei Ramírez — MLB baseball player
- Sugar Ramos — boxer; former WBA Featherweight Champion
- Alexis Rubalcaba — amateur boxer
- Félix Savón — amateur boxer
- Javier Sotomayor — world record holder in high jump
- Teófilo Stevenson — amateur boxer
- Luis Tiant — MLB baseball player
- Regla Torres — volleyball player
- Cristóbal Torriente — Negro leagues baseball player, Baseball Hall of Fame
- Jorge Orta — MLB baseball player
- Odisnel Cooper
- Yordany Álvarez
- Alexis Copello
- Pedro Pichardo
- Havana Solaun
- Julio César La Cruz
See also
In Spanish: Afrocubano para niños
- Afro-Latin Americans – Latin America
- Black Latino Americans – the United States
- Cabildo (Cuba)
- Emancipados
- Haitian Cuban
- MPLA
- Angolan Civil War
- Afro-Cuban jazz
- Racism in Cuba
