"The Legacy of Antonio Maceo: From Beginning to End"

Mr. Antonio Maceo Grajales born June 14, 1845, and was admired by many that knew of him. He began his fight for Cuban liberation. Maceo enlisted as a private in the army and was apart of the famous Ten Years War. Five years after being a private he was promoted to the rank of General because of his bravery and his ability to outmaneuver the Spanish army. In 1878, Maceo refused to surrender without winning Cuban independence and the abolition of slavery. But eventually he was forced to leave Cuba. In February of 1895 he returned to Cuba when the war with Spain began once again. The war was over Cuban liberation. In 1875 the rebel government ended up going back on the agreement to invade the west. The rebel controlled the eastern half of the island but dissension within the government continued as did racist rumors about Maceo favoring black soldier over white ones and wanting to form a Black republic. In 1876 Antonio wrote a letter rebutting rumors saying neither now nor at any time he was to be regarded as an advocate of a Negro Republic or anything of that sort. He also stated that he does not recognize any hierarchy. Maceo moved to the US in 1884 to join the new independence movement and to secure financial support for a new uprising. Maceo returned to Cuba 1890 and was forced to go into exile again. In 1892 he returned to New York and learned of Marti's new Cuban Revolutionary Party. Maceo battalions always freed the enslaved people when they captured sugar mills encouraging them to join the rebel army by emphasizing that ending enslavement was a major goal of the independence struggle. He wanted to appease enslavers and bring them over to the rebels side without forcing them to choose between enslavement and independence. February 24,1895 he returned to Cuba when war with Spain began once again. On December 7,1896 Maceo was captured and killed as he attempted to rejoin Maximo Gomez forces.