Nancy Morejón, born on August 7, 1944, in Havana, the daughter of a militant dock worker and a union sewist, is a renowned Cuban poet, critic, and essayist, recognized as "the most renowned and widely translated poet of post-revolutionary Cuba." She was the first Black woman poet to be widely published and accepted as a professional writer, critic, and translator in Cuba.
The daughter of working-class parents, Morejón graduated with honors from the University of Havana, where she studied Caribbean and French literature. Fluent in French and English, she is also a respected translator of Caribbean authors such as Edouard Glissant and Aimé Césaire. Her poetic work has been translated into more than ten languages and included in the anthology Daughters of Africa.
Édouard Glissant (1928-2011), a Martinican philosopher, poet, and novelist, explored Caribbean identity and the cultural complexity of the African Diaspora. In works such as Poétique de la Relation, he introduced concepts such as "créolisation" and "tout-monde," advocating for an interconnected world that respects cultural differences. His thinking emphasizes intercultural dialogue and resistance to global homogenization.
Aimé Césaire (1913-2008) was a Martinican poet, playwright, and politician, known as one of the founders of the Negritude Movement, which valued African identity and culture. His work combats colonialism and racism and highlights the dignity of the African Diaspora. Among his most influential works are Cahier d'un Retour au Pays Natal (Notebook of a Return to the Native Country) and Discours Sur le Colonialisme (Discourse on Colonialism).
Nancy Morejón is a recipient of the Critics' Prize (1986) and the National Prize for Literature of Cuba (2001). She has collaborated with prominent musicians, playwrights, and actors. She has recently extended her artistic talents to the visual arts. Today she directs the Center for Caribbean Studies at the Casa de las Américas in Havana, the epicenter of Cuban and Latin American intellectuals.
Black Woman
I can still smell the sea foam they made me
[cross.
The night, I cannot remember.
Not even the ocean could remember it.
But I do not forget the first gannet I saw.
High, the clouds, like innocent eyewitnesses.
Perhaps I have not forgotten my lost coast, nor my ancestral language
[ancestral
They left me here and here I have lived.
And because I worked like a beast,
here I was born again.
I tried to go through all the Mandinga epics.
I rebelled.
She is one of Cuba’s most important contemporary poets, with a body of work that deeply examines Afro-Cuban identity, the history of the African Diaspora, and issues of gender and class in Cuban society. She was one of the first women of African descent to receive widespread recognition in Cuban literature and to achieve prominence in the Latin American literary scene.
Educational and Cultural Background
Morejón studied Literature at the University of Havana, specializing in French Language and Literature. She was also influenced by Afro-descendant writers from the Americas and Africa, such as Aimé Césaire and Léopold Senghor, who contributed to strengthening her Afro-Caribbean identity and addressing themes such as Blackness, ancestry, and resistance.
Léopold Senghor (1906-2001) was a Senegalese poet, philosopher, and statesperson, and one of the founders of the Negritude Movement, which exalted African culture. The first president of Senegal (1960-1980), he integrated African values with Western principles, advocating cultural dialogue. His works, such as Chants D'ombre (Shadow Songs), focus on identity, colonialism, and spirituality, and he stands out as one of the great African intellectuals.
Mirar Adentro - Panoramic Anthology
Like her mentor, the legendary poet Nicolás Guillén, Morejón celebrates Blackness, but refuses to inscribe identity or struggle within the parameters of any single factor. “I am, at the same time, Nancy Morejón,” she says, “an individual, a unit, which cannot be subdivided into parts as one does in learning mathematics... I am no blacker than a woman; I am no more woman than a Cuban; I am no blacker than a Cuban. I am a brief combustion of these factors.”
This “brief combustion” resulted in a poetry that was quick-burning and constantly burning, and, as poet Jayne Cortez writes, “lyrical, compassionate, complex, and dazzling in its subtleties.”
Nicolás Guillén (1902-1989) was a Cuban poet and political activist known as the literary voice of Afro-Cuban identity. His poetry, marked by the rhythm of popular music and themes of resistance, celebrated Black culture and denounced racism and oppression. Works such as Sóngoro Cosongo combined African and Cuban elements, establishing him as an icon of the Caribbean literary movement.
Su Merced bought me in a square.
I embroidered Su Merced's jacket and gave birth to a male child.
My son had no name.
And Su Merced died at the hands of an impeccable lord
[English
I walked.
This is the land where I suffered punishments and whippings.
I rowed through all its rivers.
Under your sun, I sowed, I reaped, and I did not eat the harvest.
At home I had a shed.
I brought stones to build it,
but I sang to the natural rhythm of the national birds.
I rebelled.
Jayne Cortez (1934-2012) was an American poet, activist, and performance artist known for her incisive, rhythmic poetry that addressed themes of social justice, racial oppression, and female empowerment. Her performances were marked by the fusion of jazz with hard-hitting verse. Works such as Scarifications cemented her legacy in African American literature and experimental poetry in the United States.
Morejon’s reading celebrates the recent publication of Looking Within, a panoramic anthology representing forty-six years and ten volumes of her work, selected, and introduced by renowned Uruguayan scholar Juanamaría Cordones-Cook. An associate professor at the University of Missouri, Columbia, Cordones-Cook accompanies Morejón on this book tour, which includes readings of the translations and cultural and historical context of the work.
Juanamaría Cordones-Cook is a Uruguayan American academic, filmmaker, and professor specializing in Afro-Latin and Afro-Cuban literature. A professor at the University of Missouri, her work focuses on the African Diaspora and includes documentaries that celebrate Afro-descendant cultural figures. Internationally recognized, Cordones-Cook contributes to the preservation and promotion of Afro-Latin American voices, especially in the fields of literature and visual arts.
The Cuban Revolution of 1959
The Cuban Revolution, led by Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, Raúl Castro, and other revolutionaries, was a political and social movement that culminated in 1959 with the overthrow of dictator Fulgencio Batista, radically transforming Cuban society. The revolution aimed to combat the economic, political, and social inequalities that marked the island, influenced by years of exploitation and the economic presence of the United States.
Fidel Castro (1926–2016) was a Cuban revolutionary leader and a central figure in the Cold War. Known for his socialist ideologies, he led the Cuban Revolution of 1959. Castro served as prime minister and later president of Cuba. He promoted health and education policies, but also faced criticism for human rights violations and political repression.
Che Guevara (1928-1967), an Argentine revolutionary and physician, was one of the main leaders of the Cuban Revolution alongside Fidel Castro. An icon of Marxism, he advocated armed struggle against imperialism and oppression in Latin America. Author of Motorcycle Diaries and Guerrilla Handbook, Che is a symbol of resistance and inspiration for global revolutionary movements.
On this same earth I touched the damp blood
the rotting bones of many others,
brought here, or not, just like me.
I never imagined the road to Guinea.
Was it Guinea? To Benin? Was it Madagascar? Or to Cabo?
[Green?
I worked a lot more.
I better founded my ancient corner and my hope.
Here I built my world.
I went to the hill.
Raúl Castro, born in 1931, is a Cuban politician and the younger brother of Fidel Castro. He participated in the Cuban Revolution of 1959 and played key roles in the government, including as Minister of the Armed Forces. He became President of Cuba in 2008, promoting moderate economic reforms and diplomatic dialogue with the United States, before retiring in 2018.
Fulgencio Batista (1901-1973), a Cuban politician and military man, led Cuba on two occasions, first as president (1940-1944) and then as dictator (1952-1959). His authoritarian regime was marked by corruption, repression, and a strong alliance with US interests. His downfall came with the Cuban Revolution of 1959, led by Fidel Castro, who deposed Batista and transformed the country.
After assuming power, Fidel Castro implemented a series of profound reforms, such as the agrarian reform, which redistributed large estates, and the nationalization of foreign companies, especially North American ones, leading Cuba to break diplomatic relations with the United States in 1961. This estrangement led Cuba to seek support from the Soviet Union, to strengthen the country within the context of the Cold War and introduce a socialist model that guided internal and external policies.
The revolution brought advances in areas such as health and education. Cuba became a reference in medicine and virtually eliminated illiteracy. However, the reforms and the one-party system also brought limitations on political freedoms and freedom of expression, resulting in the emigration of dissidents.
My real independence was the palenque
and I rode among the troops of Maceo.
Only a century later,
with my descendants,
from a blue mountain,
I went down the mountainsto put an end to capital and usurers,
with generals and bourgeoisie,
Now I am: Only today do we have and create.
Nothing is strange to us.
Our the land.
Ours the sea and the sky
Our magic is the chimera.
My equals, here I see you dancing
around the tree we planted for communism.
Its lavish wood already resonates.
The Cuban Revolution influenced leftist movements throughout Latin America, and its resistance to embargoes and external pressures made it a symbol of anti-imperialist resistance. Although Cuba’s economic conditions faced significant challenges after the Soviet collapse, the revolution remains a landmark in Latin American history and in the debate over social justice, sovereignty, and national independence.
Nancy Morejón’s Support for the Revolution
Morejón saw the Cuban Revolution of 1959 as an opportunity to promote social change, combat racism, and defend gender and class equality. For her, the revolution symbolized an anti-colonialist and anti-imperialist struggle to eliminate historical inequalities. Nancy Morejón supported the Revolution and Fidel Castro and maintained this stance in her work, which chronicles the transformation of the lives of Cubans and Black women. Her poem Mujer Negra commemorates this change and highlights the rise of enslaved women as agents of social transformation.
Official Role and Political Involvement
In addition to her literary output, Nancy Morejón has held important positions in Cuba, including as president of the Casa de las Américas and member of the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC). These positions reinforce her ties to the Cuban government since the Casa de las Américas supports Latin American and Caribbean culture aligned with revolutionary ideals. Morejón has participated in cultural and political events and has expressed support for Fidel Castro and his policies. She represents Cuba at international literary events and promotes a positive view of the revolution and its achievements.
Controversies and Criticism
Despite her support for the Cuban government, this stance has not been without criticism, especially from Cuban dissidents and critics of the regime, who question the degree of freedom of expression and criticism in the country. For some critics, Morejón's support for the government is seen as an acceptance of the restrictions imposed by the Cuban government on artistic and intellectual freedom.
In 2023, her appointment as honorary president of the prestigious Paris Poetry Festival was withdrawn after pressure from sectors critical of the Cuban regime claimed that her closeness to the government made the choice controversial.
This connection to the Cuban government, while allowing her to occupy a prominent position in the island's cultural scene, also puts her under scrutiny from those who see the relationship between art and power as delicate.
US Economic Embargo Against Cuba
The US economic embargo against Cuba, which began in 1958 with a ban on arms sales, is the longest-lasting in modern history. In 1962, President Kennedy expanded the embargo to include almost all Cuban trade, except for non-subsidized food and medicine. Since then, laws such as the Foreign Assistance Act (1961), the Cuban Democracy Act (1992), and the Helms-Burton Act (1996) have been enacted, tightening sanctions.
Cuban Missile Crisis
Following the Cuban Missile Crisis (October 1962), Kennedy imposed travel restrictions on February 8, 1963, and the Cuban Assets Control Regulations were issued on July 8, 1963, again under the Trading with the Enemy Act in response to the Cubans harboring Soviet nuclear weapons. Under these restrictions, Cuban assets in the United States were frozen and existing restrictions were cemented.
UN General Assembly Condemns U.S. Embargo on Cuba
Since 1992, the UN General Assembly has annually passed a resolution condemning the U.S. embargo on Cuba as a violation of international law, with only Israel opposing it. In 2021, the resolution was approved by a vote of 184 in favor. Brazil, traditionally in favor, voted against it in 2019 under the government of Jair Bolsonaro, marking a shift in its diplomacy and alignment with the United States. The embargo has caused damages of more than US$922 billion to the Cuban economy and has complicated trade relations between Brazil and Cuba, which previously included financing the renovation of the Port of Mariel and increases in Brazilian exports.
Tourism Restrictions
The Cuban Assets Control Regulations require U.S. citizens to obtain a license to conduct travel transactions to Cuba, excluding tourism. Since 2000, lawmakers have tried to ease these restrictions, but George W. Bush vetoed proposals to lift the ban.
Many citizens circumvent the ban by traveling to other countries, although this exposes them to fines. The Office of Foreign Assets Control considers visits of more than one day to be a violation of the embargo, which is strictly enforced. In 2016, it was revealed that Donald Trump's company violated the embargo in 1998, spending $68,000 in Cuba without authorization.
Nancy Morejón's poetry
Nancy Morejón began her poetry in an apolitical manner in the 1960s, but over time she incorporated social and political themes, influenced by Cuban revolutionary ideology. Unlike many Caribbean authors, her work does not criticize local reality with the official vision of the Revolution as a solution to social problems. Her poetry addresses race and gender in harmony with the socialist ideal of national unity, although she demonstrates racial consciousness by honoring Black relatives and including Afro-Cuban figures and African deities.
Feminism in her work appears subtly when she exalts Black women as agents of history, exemplified in the poems Mujer Negra and Amo a mi Amo. Her work covers a variety of themes, from family life and Cuban historical moments to contemporary Caribbean events, such as the invasion of Granada. She celebrates both the Revolution and Cuban popular culture and finds inspiration in Cuban music and history.
Morejón seeks to subvert colonial narratives. Although committed to the Revolution, she avoids explicit propaganda in her poetry. Her community poetic voice does not hide her personal expression, blending ideology with lyricism and including sentimental poems about her life and social ties.
The Library of Congress of the United States has an entry in her name, consisting of an audio recording of Morejón reading part of her work in Spanish, dated July 2, 1979, in Havana, Cuba. The file is deposited on tape in the Archive of Hispanic Literature.
Themes and Style of Nancy Morejón's Work
Morejón's work addresses contemporary issues of ethnicity, feminism, gender, history, politics, and Afro-Cuban identity. She addresses the experiences of Black women in Cuba and the impact of slavery and colonization on modern societies. Her poetry exalts the struggles, pains, and joys of the Cuban people and highlights the role of Black women who are often marginalized.
Her poems have musicality and accessible language but are rich in symbolism and emotional depth. She uses poetic imagery and metaphors that evoke Afro-Cuban history and mythology and draws on elements of Afro-descendant religions and popular culture.
Her poems are vibrant reflections on the blending of Spanish and African cultures in Cuba, what it means to be a child of both traditions, and how the bright threads of this heritage are part of the larger web of the African experience in the Americas.
Nancy Morejón takes an integrationist stance by uniting Spanish and African cultures to form a new Cuban identity, which positions her as a supporter of nationalism and the Cuban Revolution. Her work highlights the experience of women, especially Black women, as in her famous poem Mujer Negra. Morejón also exposes the pain of slavery as an ancestral experience. She addresses political and intimate themes, using Cuban humor and lyrical, spiritual, and erotic poetry.
Most Featured Works
Mujer Negra (1975) – one of her most iconic poems, in which she narrates the story of Afro-Cuban women from Africa, through slavery in Cuba, to their participation in the Cuban Revolution. The poem addresses issues of race, gender and identity and emphasizes transformation and resistance.
Piedra Pulida (1986) – an anthology of poems that portrays exile, memory, and Cuban cultural roots.
Para la Humanidad (2003) – a book that includes verses on solidarity and unity among peoples that portray her humanist and revolutionary vision.
The University of Salamanca has collected most of her verses in the anthology entitled El huerto Magnifico de Todos (The Magnificent Garden of Everyone), edited by Alfredo Pérez Alencart. The most complete collection of her poetry, published in 2003, is Mirar Adentro - Poemas Selecionadas - bilingual edition 1954-2000, edited and with an introduction by Juanamaría Cordones-Cook.
Her most recent collections of poetry are Peñalver 51 (2009), published by the Mockingbird Foundation of Zamora, Spain, and the anthology Exposed Havana (2012), published by Vigia de Matanzas, compiled by Juanamaría Cordones-Cook. Award-winning translators have translated her poetry into more than ten languages.
Approaching Nancy Morejón's Poetic Reality
Summary of the article written by Carmen Alemany Bay (University of Alicante) published in the Miguel de Cervantes National Library
Nancy Morejón, a Cuban poet born in 1944, stood out during the Cuban Revolution with works that explored themes of femininity and blackness. Beginning with her first book, Mutismos, Morejón brought forth a unique voice, interweaving historical and personal experience with oral tradition and dreamlike imagery. Influenced by poets such as Rubén Darío and César Vallejo, her greatest mentor was Nicolás Guillén, who encouraged her approach to Afro-Cuban culture and colloquial language. In Mujer negra, Morejón examines the history of slavery and Afro-Cuban identity, placing the feminine perspective at the forefront.
Throughout her work, such as in Richard trajo su Flauta and Amor, Ciudad Atribuída, Havana emerges as a central and inspiring setting. During the “Cinco Ancios Cinzas,” Morejón faced censorship, but resumed her literary career with Parajes de una época. In later works, such as Cuaderno de Granada and Piedra Pulida, she explored Cuban daily life and introspective themes.
Morejón is considered an essential voice in Cuban poetry, uniting femininity, Afro-Cuban heritage, and a critical view of society, preserving and celebrating culture in a space of resistance and memory.
Carmen Alemany Bay is a prominent Spanish visual artist and educator, recognized for her work in painting and sculpture. Her work explores themes of identity and memory, using a variety of materials and techniques. In addition to her artistic practice, Alemany Bay is also dedicated to teaching and promoting contemporary art, contributing to cultural development in her community.
Summary of Mujer Negra
Nancy Morejón's Mujer Negra, written in 1975, addresses the historical experience of Black Cuban women through an anonymous narrator. The poem highlights the strength and resilience of this woman in the face of adversity and how her experiences are shaped by race and ethnicity. The narrative begins with an African woman who is brought to Cuba as a slave and gives birth to a son by her master.
After going through several struggles, she escapes and joins a liberation movement, as a way of contributing to the rise of communism in Cuba. The work emphasizes the importance of resistance and rediscovering one's own identity.
The story reflects the context of colonization in 1511, when African slaves were brought to sugar plantations. Even with the ban on the importation of slaves in 1867, slavery was only abolished in 1886. Subsequently, corruption and inequality encouraged support for socialist ideals led by Fidel Castro, which culminated in the Cuban Revolution.
In free verse, the poem uses symbolism, such as birdsong to represent freedom, and repetitions that reinforce the idea of belonging. The narrator exalts her African heritage, resistance, and strength, in search of self-knowledge and freedom.
In Defense of Cuban Poetry
Nancy Morejón describes herself as “a creature of the Cuban Revolution” and sees poetry as a tool for peace, justice, and social transformation. For years she has been an active participant in the artistic life of Cuba, directing the Center for Caribbean Studies at the Casa de las Américas.
Her work has received the Critics' Prize in Cuba for books such as Nación y mestizaje en Nicolás Guillén, Piedra Pulida, Alabanza y Paisaje and La Quinta de los Molinos. In 2001, she received the National Literature Prize in Cuba, and in 2006, the International Golden Crown Prize in Macedonia.
Morejón was named honorary president of the Paris Poetry Market, but her appointment was revoked, which sparked an international campaign of support. The Federation of Cuban Women (FMC) and the International Union of Left-Wing Editors protested, calling the revocation “political violence” and an attack on freedom of expression.
For Morejón, this is yet another chapter in the “cultural war against Cuba.” On social media, the hashtag #CubaEsCultura gained strength in support of her. In recognition of her struggle and work, three of her poems were published: Réquiem para a mão esquerda (Requiem for the Left Hand), Cimarrones (Cigarettes) and Renacimiento (Renaissance).
The Spanish Language in the Poetry of Nancy Morejón
For Nancy Morejón, Spanish is essential to her poetry and Cuban literature, as it connects her to the struggle against slavery and to her Hispanic American heritage. Her poetry is inspired by poets such as Nicolás Guillén, although they follow different paths.
In addition to literature, the visual arts play a significant role in her life; she began drawing during tough times and collaborated with artists to unite poetry and illustration. Morejón values the work of Manuel Mendive, who creates a bridge between Africa, America and Europe, a connection that she reflects in her own work. For her, this interconnection is vital to Cuban identity and artistic expression.
Manuel Mendive is a renowned Cuban artist, born in 1944, and known for his works that combine elements of Afro-Cuban culture with contemporary influences. His work encompasses painting, sculpture, and installations, and is notable for the vivacity of colors and shapes. Mendive is an advocate for African heritage in Cuba and uses his art to represent themes of spirituality, identity, and cultural resistance.
Recognition and Influence
Nancy Morejón is a prominent voice in Afro-descendant and Latin American literature, recognized for her impact on the women's literary movement. A translator and essayist, she has dedicated herself to the study of Afro-descendant poets and has influenced new generations. With a career aligned with the ideals of the Cuban Revolution, Morejón supported Fidel Castro and advocated for themes of social justice and anti-racism to value Afro-Cuban culture. Her stance places her as a representative, albeit controversial, figure in the Cuban political and cultural context.
Awards
Morejón has been the director of Revista Union since 2013 and was elected president of the Writers’ Association of the National Union of Cuban Writers and Artists (UNEAC), a position she held for many years. Her work includes criticism and drama, with a focus on her analysis of the poet Nicolás Guillén. In 1982, she received the “Premio de la Crítica” for Piedra Pulida, and, in 2001, she became the first Black woman to win Cuba’s National Prize for Literature. In 2006, she won the Golden Crown at the Struga Poetry Nights.
She currently directs the Center for Caribbean Studies at the Casa de las Américas in Havana, the epicenter of Cuban and Latin American intellectuals. She serves as Director of the Cuban Academy of Languages.
She is a jurist for the Caribbean Carbet Prize (since 1990) and is a full member of the Cuban Academy of Languages (since 1999). Morejón's most recent awards include the Golden Crown of Macedonia (2006), the Rafael Alberti Prize (2007), the Galician Universal Writer's Prize (2008), and the prestigious Prize of the Association for Latin American Studies (2012). In 2009, the University of Cergy-Pontoise in Paris awarded Morejón an honorary doctorate.
Morejón has traveled extensively, lecturing at universities such as Wellesley College and the University of Missouri, where a symposium on his work resulted in a special issue of the Afro-Hispanic Review. In 1999, Howard University Press published a collection of critical essays on his work. In 2005, a collection of his poems, edited by Mario Benedetti, was released in Madrid.
Mario Benedetti (1920-2009) was a prominent Uruguayan poet, novelist, and essayist, widely recognized for his sensitivity and social engagement. His work encompasses themes such as love, loneliness, and politics, and reflects the experiences of exile and everyday life. Among his most famous books are La Tregua and Gracias por el fuego. Benedetti is one of the most influential voices in Latin American literature֍
֍
Did you like this post? Do you have any suggestions or criticisms? Leave a comment below and, if you want, you can share it. All of this helps a lot in my work.
Links used and suggested
֎ Lili
֎ Capire
Comments