Chinese Cubans: The Untold Story

In 1847, lasting for 26 years, over 140,000 Chinese men arrived in Cuba to work under 8-year indenture contracts, replacing the African slave labor at the sugar plantations and railroad systems. This migration of Chinese ‘’coolies’’ was historically referred to as the ‘’yellow trade’’ and represented another form of slavery. Fast forward to 1869, Chinese Californians migrated to Cuba to escape discriminatory laws in the United States. Their arrival led to the establishment of Havana's Chinatown, becoming ‘’the largest and most significant of its kind in Latin America’’.

Over the years, the Chinese population in Cuba has dwindled due to intermarriage and immigration restrictions after the Communist Revolution in 1959. Despite outdated statistics, ‘’as of 2021, fewer than 100 elderly Chinese remain’’. Today, their cultural identity is fading; their heritage is largely unrecognized within the mainstream of Cuban society and beyond.

The project’s ultimate goal is to empower the Chinese community in Cuba by amplifying their global presence and highlighting the significance of their documented heritage. By leveraging support and funding from external sources, this narrative will reach a worldwide audience, fostering greater impact and visibility. To reinforce this vision, all research content, including the collection of photographs, recorded interviews, and personal narratives presented in the participant's own words, will be consolidated into a web project with translations into Spanish, English, and Chinese languages.

For those interested in learning more about the project and exploring opportunities to contribute to its funding, please feel free to reach out to Alida for further information.