Among the nearly 90,000 Cubans who settled in New York City and Miami in the 1940s and 1950s were numerous musicians and entertainers, black and white, who did more than fill dance halls with the rhythms of the rumba, mambo, and cha cha chá. Presenting a history of music and race in midcentury America, this book argues that these musicians, through their work in music festivals, nightclubs, social clubs, and television and film productions, played central roles in the development of Cuban, Afro-Cuban, Latino, and Afro-Latino identities and communities. The book draws from previously untapped oral histories, cultural materials, and Spanish-language media to uncover the lives and broader social and cultural significance of these vibrant performers.

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This article examines the personal life history and professional boxing career of Afro-Cuban boxer Benny “Kid” Paret between 1959 and 1962. Paret died nine days after suffering a brutal beating in the ring at the hands of Emile Griffith, and this article focuses on the public discourse surrounding his death in the context of strained U.S.-Cuba relations, increased Cuban migration to the United States after 1959, and race and ethnic identity formation. Using major U.S. newspapers, magazines, and boxing periodicals as well as African-American and Spanish-language newspapers, this article contributes to a growing body of literature on Latino/as, race, and sport.

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