The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-12-25
The Negro In Latin America

Hioln par run oy q white man
called Sloppy Joe. you might be In
vited to q soiree in q Cuban home
II would be the kind OF party tina,
you wouldn't find In the United
States outside Of Harlem or CHI
cago's South Parkway.
This II Cubs
You would rub shoulders with
intellectuals who were white.
brown. and mulatto for at least one.
third Of Cuba's almost Ave million
population has Negro blood in vary
ing degrees You might meet at the
party, II he were not busy hammer
ing out cantos. Cuba's leading
poet, Nicolas CULLEN. whom our
State Department bars from this
country along with other dis
tinguished Negro champion OF hu-
man rights. the Havana labor lead.
er, Lazaro Pena.
Before the evening was over.
some beautiful girl descended from
an ancient queen In Nigeria or Da-
honey would sit down at the piano
and play . composition by Brindis
de Salas. that internationally ia
mos musicians Of the Nineteenth
Century who was known as "the
black Paganini" and "the king Of
the octaves." And II she were not
out on . concert tour you misht be
lucky enough to hear Zoila Calves
the Marian Anderson Of Cuba" sing
an aria from some great Opera.
Africa struck deep roots whereve'
Africa was transplanted to the New
World Africa struck its deepes'
-oots In Brazil. which we have n
ready written about. and In Cuba
our closest neishbor among the II
Latin American Republics
Cuba ". Dixie
Cuba lies Q few miles across the
Atlantic from Dixie: from the
Florida coast where . Negro can't
step into . public restaurant for .
cup Of coffee. Some circles In
Dixie are still arguing over the
question Of whether the Negro IL .
human being or q special kind Of
animal created especially to serve
the lordly white.
But just across the water Cuba's
leading scholars Of both colors are
busy Certifying that country's cul.
ture. which Is Negro. Stimulated by
their war for the liberation Of all
peoples and their culture. q great
NEGRO renaissance Is sweeping
across the West Indies and Latin
America. That renaissance comes
from Cuba where black slaves
planted the culture In the same soil
where they planted the sugar and
tobacco for the alien, naughty white
men
A white American scholar. Dr..
Richard Psttss. pointed out In Ais
article. sLatin.Amefica Turns 10
he Negro" pubiished in Q iSse =
sue q The Crisis:
Rre-Nsgrs Enshuu1a0
There has developed IN. Cuba .
literal wave OF enthusiasm for
things Negro. Outstanding among
the Cuban intellectuals who have
contributed extraordinarily to the
revaluation Of the Negro influence
IL DR.. Fernando Ortiz. Of La Haba-
ma. a distinguished man Of letters
and q lawyer. whose name rests In
large part on his scholarly labors
In the field Of Afro-Cuban folklore,
music. and superstition :.
This incidentally has assumed .
hrst importance In Negro renais-
ssnce in the West Indies. A whole
genre has been created around the
Negro: q school OF poetical EXPIRES
sion that has long since transcend
ed the frontiers OF the island
tMeaning Cubs> The Negro theme
has given rise 10 the new Apprecis.
ton OF the potential role that the
African element can play In the
holding OF culture"
United For Freedom
Or. Ortiz. whom Or. Pattee men
tons. founded the Society OF Afro
Cuban Studies. an organization Of
Negro and white intellectuals which
ranks as one Of the most important
learned societies In this hemis-
phere Of republics learning finally
to be good neighbors. A modest
friendly man who hates Jim Grow.
DR. Ortiz has. himself. written sew
eral volumes on different phases OF
the African influence in Cuba. He
has a profound admiration for the
Negro poet. Placido. who back in
1874. sounded the call for revolt
against the tyranny OF Spain.
The Negroes Of Cuba rallied to