As we approach the 99th anniversary of the birth of Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro and look ahead to his centennial, our Embassy launches the publication series "Fidel, History’s Vindication: U.S. Voices in Dialogue with Cuba". Based on writings by Cuban author and journalist Luis Báez, it features anecdotes and perspectives from prominent global figures about Cuba’s historic revolutionary leader.
On September 22, 1960, at Harlem’s Hotel Theresa in New York, Fidel Castro declared:
"I feel like someone walking through a desert who suddenly finds an oasis. (...) One of the hardest things for us is always having to explain the difference between the people and those responsible for acts that cannot be blamed on the people. (...) Whatever difficulties may arise, there will always be love for the people of the United States."
This was the young revolutionary leader’s sentiment upon first setting foot on U.S. soil. Amidst an arid political landscape, he recognized something profound: a shared humanity that transcends borders. His distinction between a nation’s people and its rulers revealed the clarity that would define his six-decade legacy.
Today, as we begin this journey sharing prominent U.S. voices on Fidel Castro, we honor that same spirit: to listen beyond the noise, beyond the hatred some seek to impose. We recognize that these cross-cultural perspectives—even when divergent—weave together our true historical memory.
We begin with the incomparable Harry Belafonte—singer, songwriter, groundbreaking actor, and activist deeply committed to fighting imperialism, worker oppression, and racial discrimination.
A leading figure in the Civil Rights Movement, Belafonte became a personal friend of Martin Luther King Jr. A powerful voice against racism and discrimination, he leveraged his wealth and fame to fund anti-racist activism—bailing out protesters, financing voter registration drives, and supporting organizations fighting for Black liberation.
In the 1980s, he campaigned against South African apartheid and later coordinated Nelson Mandela’s first U.S. visit. Belafonte’s opposition to apartheid reflected his broader stance against global imperialism and oppression.
He received Cuba’s Friendship Medal in recognition of his lifelong solidarity and maintained a close relationship with Fidel Castro since the Revolution’s earliest days.
In September 2003, Belafonte condemned the U.S. blockade against Cuba in a New York speech. When asked why he supported the Cuban people, he replied:
"I don’t consider it some supreme effort. It’s a way of life: if you believe in freedom, if you believe in justice, if you believe in democracy, if you believe in people’s rights, if you believe in the harmony of all humanity."
During an interview on one of his many visits to Cuba, he reflected:
"Fidel (...) is one of a kind for his time. His presence on this earth made life better for millions of people. No matter what they say—that fact cannot be denied."