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Unbecoming Blackness
The Diaspora Cultures of Afro-Cuban America
Antonio López
New York University Press
New York and London
New York University Press
New York and London
© 2012 by New York University. All rights reserved
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
López, Antonio M.
Unbecoming blackness : the diaspora cultures of Afro-Cuban America / Antonio López.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8147-6546-3 (cl : alk. paper)
ISBN 978-0-8147-6547-0 (pb : alk. paper)
ISBN 978-0-8147-6548-7 (ebook)
ISBN 978-0-8147-6549-4 (ebook)
1. Cuban Americans—Intellectual life—20th century. 2. Cuban Americans—Ethnic identity 3. Blacks—United States—Intellectual life—20th century.4. African Americans—Intellectual life—20th century. 5. American literature—Cuban American authors. I. Title.
E184.C97L67 2012
305.8968'7291073—dc23
2012009413
References to Internet websites (URLs) were accurate at the time of writing. Neither the author nor New York University Press is responsible for URLs that may have expired or changed since the manuscript was prepared.
A book in the American Literatures Initiative (ALI), a collaborative publishing project of NYU Press, Fordham University Press, Rutgers University Press, Temple University Press, and the University of Virginia Press. The Initiative is supported by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. For more information, please visit www.americanliteratures.org.
To my mother and brother
To Rachel and Maeve
Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1 / Alberto O’Farrill: A Negrito in Harlem
2 / Re/Citing Eusebia Cosme
3 / Supplementary Careers, Boricua Identifications
4 / Around 1979: Mariel, McDuffie, and the Afterlives of Antonio
5 / Cosa de Blancos: Cuban American Whiteness and the Afro-Cuban-Occupied House
Conclusion: “Write the Word Black Twice”
Acknowledgments
This book hardly resembles the project I began while in the English Department at Rutgers University, but the confidence John McClure, Brent Edwards, and Bruce Robbins showed in me then has encouraged me ever since. I began researching and writing these pages when I arrived at the George Washington University in 2005, and, since then, I have benefited from the support of Dean William Frawley, Dean Peg Barratt, and Associate Dean Geralyn Schulz. A Junior Scholar Incentive Award and a University Facilitating Fund Award allowed visits to libraries and archives that proved indispensible. The backing of my fellow members of the English Department has been remarkable—in particular, Marshall Alcorn, Hache Carrillo, Patty Chu, Jeffrey Cohen, Holly Dugan, Jonathan Gil Harris, Connie Kibler, Faye Moskowitz, Ormond Seavey, Chris Sten, Linda Terry, and Gayle Wald. Robert McRuer made it his duty to guide me toward publication. Of special significance are my department comrades Jim Miller and Jennifer James, who offered friendship and mentorship throughout. Elizabeth Acevedo, Ricardo Almonte, Kathryn Bibler, Jonathan Chuck, Zak McAdoo, Hilary Moise, Alexandra Moss (who helped research chapter 4), Amanda Nazario, Dennis Perales, Andrew Ratner, Tess Salazar, Trinh Tran, Sonia Valencia, and Laura Warman are on a long list of people I have had the pleasure to teach as this book emerged.
At New York University Press, Eric Zinner demonstrated his commitment from the start. Ciara McLaughlin led me through the review and production stages expertly. I also thank NYU’s readers, whose feedback made this so much better.
I appreciate my longtime friends, near and far: Gwen Bradley, Anand Commissiong, Ariel Fernández, Bill de Grummond, Chris Hollingsworth, Luis Iglesias, Thomas Meal, Debra Roy, and Yesenia Selier. The first few years in the District would have been impossible without Lisa Lynch, who brought the Brooklyn, and Tommy Castillo, the Hialeah. Ian Goulston has been a great influence. Talking to him about music and film—collaborating with him—was one of the pleasures of this experience. I am also thankful for the generosity of the families in Miami, Boston, and Los Angeles: Emiko López, Irene Canel-Petersen, Mary McLaughlin, John McLaughlin, Mary Carol McLaughlin, Kaitlin McLaughlin, and Jenny Pearson.
I am grateful to the many people who offered me contacts, sources, and other assistance, including Al Angeloro, Donna Arnold, Mario Barrera, Esteban Luis Cárdenas, Michael Casey, Yasnay Cuesta, Margaret Dakin, Cristobal Díaz Ayala, José Díaz Rodríguez, Marvin Dunn, Jorge Florido, Marilyn Graf, Judge Evelio Grillo, Jr., Pedro Juan Hernández, Leah Jehan, Miriam Jiménez Román, Nicolás Kanellos, Jeff Lemlich, Marquis Lewis, Joseph McNair, Ignacio Mireles Rangel, Lucio Ortigoza, Enrique Patterson, Luis de la Paz, Michael Pounds, Tomás Fernández Robaina, Harold Lee Rush, Manolo Salvat, José Sánchez-Boudy, Nicole Smith, Pam Sporn, Lesbia Varona, Eduardo de la Vega Alfaro, Tony Vélez, and Neva Wartell. Colleagues, many of them friends, offered comments and provided venues for presentation and publication at various stages, including Mónica Ayala, Roberto Fernández, Juan Flores, Jorge Gracia, Ted Henken, Keith Leonard, Iraida López, Manuel Martínez, Suzanne Oboler, and Randy Ontiveros. I especially appreciate Isabel Álvarez-Borland, José Buscaglia-Salgado, Robert Dickson, Raúl Fernández, Rodrigo Lazo, Nancy Mirabal, and José Esteban Muñoz for taking such a strong interest in the work. Ricardo Ortiz, with whom I have been fortunate to share a neighborhood in the District, has been a true advocate and friend; he has led the way for many in Cuban American literary and cultural studies, me included. I greatly value the trust Diana Lachatanere showed in me as I wrote about her mother and father and the many comments she contributed over the past several years. My use of the Rómulo Lachatañeré papers and photographs, without which a large part of this book would not exist, comes courtesy of her. I also thank José Parlá for allowing the reproduction of Aguada de Pasajeros.
One of the most rewarding aspects was getting
