Chinese Slavery in Cuba

The images and documents presented here are rare pieces of the memory of the once-bustling Chinese presence in Cuba. Poor Chinese laborers, often called "Coolies," began arriving in Cuba in the mid-19th century. They left their homes on ships very similar to those used in the African slave trade, and many died from sicknesses caused the cramped, filthy conditions. The Chinese, and poor people from other Asian countries, were frequently shipped to islands in the Americas as the African slave trade came to a legal halt in many nations. Titled as "indentured servants," but frequently considered in all but name as slaves, the Chinese worked on sugar plantations and in other positions of manual labor in hopes of unreasonably small pay for an established length of time. The Chinese workers quickly plummeted more deeply into poverty in their new home, however, because they were often indebted to their masters for having used supplies, food, clothing, and shelter during their indenture terms. Even with lowly conditions to look forward to in Cuba, some Chinese people even left the United states for the island in order to escape the oppression and racism faced by the Chinese in the West. At one point, during the early-mid 20th century, the Chinese presence in Cuba peaked at about 40,000 individuals. After the Cuban Revolution began, however, they left the island in large numbers and today, only about 500 Chinese Cubans remain. Most live or work in or near the Barrio Chino, or Chinatown, in Havana. Owning restaurants and other small businesses, the Chinese people in Cuba still struggle collectively for individual civil rights and for economic stability. This is a window into their hidden story.