However throughout his tenure as leader of Cuba, Fidel Castro has been a sympathizer of the Black struggle. In 1960, upon his second visit to the United States, he stayed at the Hotel Theresa in Harlem. The Hotel Theresa was a Black owned establishment that welcomed Castro after he claimed a white hotel treated him badly and charged too much money. During his stay in Harlem, he not only entertained world leaders, but also had a visit from Malcolm X.
Throughout the following years, Castro has opened his country up to several Black freedom fighters who faced persecution in America. Some of the people have been Huey Newton, Eldridge Cleaver, and William Potts. Other people that have participated in the Black liberation movement have became exile in Cuba. Some of those people are still present in the country. Those people are William Lee Brent who hijacked a plane and went to Cuba in 1969. Assata Shakur who convicted of killing a New Jersey State Trooper and escaped from prison in 1979. She is currently the most wanted fugitive in the world. Also Nehanda Abiodun is in Cuba; she is to believed to helped Assata Shakur escape from prison in 1979.
Right or wrong, Fidel Castro’s Cuba has been a safe haven for Black folks who have fought against the injustices in this country. In addition to providing his soil to the Black community, Castro has extended his services. His country provides free education for all its citizens and he has extended scholarships to students in the Black communities. These scholarships which went through the Congressional Black Caucus help trained doctors; not only from America but also Africa.
And despite all the bad blood that exists with Cuba and America; Castro opened the gates for President Obama. I don’t think that it was coincidence that the first sit-in president to visit Cuba since 1928 was a Black man. I’m not just going to praise him and not acknowledge that he had flaws. I’m sure there are unjust things that he has implemented on his own citizens. I’m sure when you are in a position of power, you are going to have people who don’t like you. I know there are good portion of Latin Americans who do not agree with Castro and do not like him. However you can’t deny his impact. You can’t overlooked the historical significance of his legacy. And you can’t say he didn’t make a difference; including for us Black folks in America. Rest in Peace.
Sources: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/fidel-castro-cuban-dictator-dies-at-90/2016/11/26/f37bf3bc-b399-11e6-be1c-8cec35b1ad25_story.html
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-cuba-assata-shakur-fbi-america-obama-perspec-1230-20141229-story.html
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/manhattan/harlem-warm-fidel-castro-staying-hotel-theresa-article-1.2752663
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/cubas-american-refugees-1162033.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/storyline/wp/2014/12/24/five-of-the-most-infamous-u-s-fugitives-in-cuba/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_embargo_against_Cuba