History

The Road to Cuban Independence: Led Through Tampa in 1898

Because of the large number of Cubans living in Ybor City, the area was involved in the struggle for Cuba's independence from Spanish rule. In fact, the reason that Vicente Martinez Ybor left Cuba was because of his sympathies for the cause Of Cuban liberty.

Cuban patriots, most famously Jose Martí, came to Tampa frequently to inspire enthusiasm and funds for the movement in Ybor City. As revolutionary fervor grew in 1895, Martí gave the order to invade Cuba by smuggling a message into Tampa in a cigar.

Famous Cuban Patriot Jose Martí speaking on the steps of a cigar factory in Tampa

Some of the most active revolutionary supporters were to be found in Ybor City. Paulina Pedrosa and her husband hosted Martí when he came to Tampa. Unfortunately, Martí was killed in a battle in Cuba in 1895 and the success of the cause was postponed until 1898.

The precipitating event in 1898, which culminated in war, was the destruction of the USS Battleship Maine in Havana harbor in February. The explosion caught the attention of the American press, most particularly that of William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer, rivals vying with each other as to who could sell the most newspapers. Known as "yellow journalism," these newspapers wrote lurid and often untrue descriptions of Spanish atrocities and aroused the American public to demand the entry of the U.S. into the war to support Cuban independence. Congress declared war in April, 1898.

One of the immediate threats to Ybor City was the potential loss of the supply of Cuban tobacco, essential for continuing production in the cigar factories. Forward thinking citizens solved the problem, however, by sending a flotilla of ships to Havana, loading the vessels to the gunwales and bringing the cargo back to Tampa, thus ensuring the economic well-being of Ybor City and Tampa.

As plans for the war progressed, Tampa was chosen as the major port of embarkation for the Army. Tampa Was the closest city in possession of both rail and port facilities. Among others. Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders arrived, creating havoc and mayhem. This situation continued for six weeks until the order came from Washington, D.C. for the troops to sail. They finally departed on June 13th.

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