Racial Migrations: New York City and the Revolutionary Politics of the Spanish Caribbean

In the late 19th century, a group of Afro-Latino migrants in New York City formed a political network and articulated an ideal of revolutionary nationalism centered on racial and social justice. Their efforts were critical to the writings of José Martí and the later struggle for black political participation in Cuba. Jesse Hoffnung-Garskof's book Racial Migrations presents a vivid portrait of these forgotten migrant revolutionaries and offers a new interpretation of the revolutionary politics of the Spanish Caribbean.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 408 pages
Publication date: 04 May 2021
Publisher: Princeton University Press

In the late 19th century, a group of Afro-Latino migrants settled in the segregated tenements of New York City. These early New Yorkers, who were mostly from Cuba and Puerto Rico, were determined to overcome the challenges they faced as immigrants and to secure full citizenship in their homelands. At an immigrant educational society in Greenwich Village, they taught themselves to be poets, journalists, and revolutionaries. They also built a political network and articulated an ideal of revolutionary nationalism centered on the projects of racial and social justice.

These efforts were critical to the writings of the poet and diplomat José Martís, who was a key figure in the Cuban exile community. Martí's writings about race and his bid for leadership among Cuban exiles were influenced by the experiences of Afro-Latino New Yorkers and their struggle for political participation in the Cuban Republic.

In her book, Racial Migrations, Jesse Hoffnung-Garskof presents a vivid portrait of these largely forgotten migrant revolutionaries. She weaves together their experiences of migrating while black, their relationships with African American civil rights leaders, and their evolving participation in nationalist political movements. By placing Afro-Latino New Yorkers at the center of the story, Hoffnung-Garskof offers a new interpretation of the revolutionary politics of the Spanish Caribbean, including the idea that Cuba could become a nation without racial divisions.

Racial Migrations is a model of transnational and comparative research that reveals the complexities of race-making within migrant communities and the power of social movements to challenge dominant ideologies. It is a valuable addition to the literature on race, migration, and social justice and will be of interest to scholars and activists working on these issues.

Dimension: 235 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780691218373