The Ladies of Havana
The often forgotten history of the Cuban women that financed America’s Independence
Cuba Helped Win American Independence
What in the world could Cubans have to do with The United States of America’s independence? If you say nothing, you’d be wrong and possibly surprised to learn that much of American independence is owed to Cubans.
Yes, that I said correctly. You read that right. And here is what Historian Stephen Bonsal famously said about this fact.
“The millions donated by the ladies of Havana can be considered as part of the foundation on which the American nation was erected (Stephen Bonsal).”
While France’s role in helping Americans fight the British and win independence is well documented, history books often dismiss the key contributions of yet another well-known neighbor and superpower, Spanish Cuba, and in particular their freedom-seeking residents, Cubans or Cuban Creoles by which they self-identified.
Spain and Cubans both had a vested interest in the U.S. winning their independence from Great Britain. Spain did not want another British conquest of their coveted Havana as had occurred in 1762…
