This is an illustration of a slave owner in Cuba with his slaves issued in 1871 titled “White man surrounded by black children, Cuba.” The image was published in Harper’s magazine (New York: Harper Brothers, 1850-). The image shows a man sitting in a chair surrounded by the children slaves he owns and an elder slave woman.

Welcome to the engaging world of Cubas’ museum exhibit, where we explore into the complicated history of slavery in Cuba during the 19th century. This interactive visit encourages you to gain insight into the profound and often grim tales of the enslaved people who formed the island’s history. The purpose to shed light on the tremendous influence of slavery on Cuban society through historical accounts and thought-provoking narratives. Enjoy the exhibit as we unearth the stories of perseverance, resistance, and resilience of people who lived through this difficult period. Starting with Cuba, a Caribbean Island nation.  African slaves were in Cuba to work on plantations throughout the 19th century. Which was primarily driven by the thriving sugar business and the demand for labor in the developing agricultural sector. Cuba’s abundant land and mild temperature made it perfect for cultivating profitable crops, primarily sugarcane. The growing European demand for sugar created a huge need for labor on Cuban plantations. To accommodate this demand, slavery became strongly entrenched as the favored method. The enslaved population in Cuba rose over time due to both new arrivals and natural growth. The enslaved community’s birth rate overtook the mortality rate, resulting in a progressive increase in the overall number of slaves on the island. I was encouraged to research and work on this topic after viewing a drawing based on the illustration of a slave owner in Cuba with his slaves issued in 1871 titled “White man surrounded by black children, Cuba.” The image was published in Harper’s magazine (New York: Harper Brothers, 1850-). The image shows a man sitting in a chair surrounded by the children slaves he owns and an elder slave woman. I felt the image represented the freedom slave owners had over their slaves, the slave owner gets to sit down as an elder black lady stands around the children. Also adding onto the idea that slaves were not valid the same, they were seen as livestock as if they were animals. While reading, keep in mind that the slave trade was outlawed in 1880 yet slavery itself was banned in 1865.  

“Spain and the Abolition of Slavery in Cuba, 1817–1886” can give researchers an interesting idea of why slaves were in high demand in Cuba during this time. In the chapter “A United Front in Cuba, 1825-1840″ it provides statistical data on the exportation of goods. “In the period of 1825 to 1830, 128,644 quintales (1 quintal= 1 cwt.) of leaf tobacco and 245,097 million of cigars were exported. By The period 1845 and 1850 these figures had risen to 364,183 and 896,000 respectively.”1 Also adding on to the production of sugar and coffee in Cuba. The author Arthur F. Corwin gives us inside on what the high demands of slave workers brought into Cuba. But how did the slaves make it into Cuba? According to historical accounts, the initial significant influx of Black slaves to Cuba took place in 1524. At that time, permission was granted to bring in three hundred Africans specifically for laboring in the Jagua gold mines. Subsequently, in 1550, due to the reluctance of the local population to engage in various forms of work, the crown granted an exclusive privilege to import African slaves for the purpose of cultivating tobacco and sugar cane. 

Another source that can give informational data on the slave trade in Cuba during the 19th century is “Spanish Sailors and the Illegal Slave Trade to Cuba, 1845-1867” by M. Rodrigo Y Alharilla. I chose to use this source to offer a unique perspective in analyzing the slave trade in Cuba. This collection examines the living conditions of the crews aboard Spanish slave-trade ships during the period of 1845 to 1867. The article relies on previously unpublished documentary sources, providing fresh insights into this topic. The transatlantic slave trade transported more than 12 million people from Africa to the New World to serve as slaves. Stated in the passage, “The most recent estimates put the number of slaves brought to Cuba from Africa from 1821 to 1867 at 543,882 individuals, this while the slave trade was supposedly illegal.”2 The primary force behind this illegal trade was the high demand for labor, particularly on Cuban sugar plantations, during a period referred to as “the second slavery.” The slave trade in the Iberian Atlantic relied on the cooperation of various individuals and industries on an international scale.  

Gloria García Rodríguez in “Voices of the Enslaved in Nineteenth Century Cuba: A Documentary History” provides readers with an extraordinary perspective of slavery in Cuba. The one segment that I gained the most insight was in the chapter “Slavery and its Legal Regulations: The Slave Code.” The passage is dedicated to how Cuba thought slaveholders were supposed to take care of their slaves. The passage goes through a length of topics like how slaves were to be instructed on the Catholic religion and baptized within one year of residency. For example, in the passage is says “It is not incumbent upon us to examine the fairness of this practice, nor whether or not the opinion of those moralists who agree with this practice is good or dissolute, their position based on the gospel.”3 The document went down to the type of occupation and recreational activities the slaves can obtain. And, how slaveholders keep the slaves’ housing and infirmaries while also going in depth with the concern but like every like of old age and chronic illness. It was an interesting read this Royal decree to see how the standards were placed for slaves and slaveholders in Cuba. This passage gives us much insight on how the slaves lived in Cuba during the 19th century.