Education, Literacy and Decolonization in Cuba: An Exploration of Cuban Independence from the USA, Spain, and the Soviet Union

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Abstract

Cuba remained under Spanish colonial rule for nearly four centuries, from Christopher Columbus’s arrival in 1492 until the end of the Spanish-American War in 1898. Although the island formally gained independence in 1902, following a brief period of U.S. military occupation, the 1901 Platt Amendment granted the United States broad authority over Cuban affairs. This neocolonial relationship endured well into the XX-th century, generating widespread nationalist resistance. The research involves interviews with Cuban citizens from diverse backgrounds, including various age groups and professions, to capture a range of perspectives on Cuban identity development in relation to former colonial nations. Additionally, foreign students’ perspectives and oral histories are analyzed to examine recurring themes and personal reflections on Cuban identity and independence.

Author

• Anna Grigoryeva, University of Maryland