Sociedad la Unión Martí-Maceo Records

La Unión Martí-Maceo was established near the turn of the 20th century as Los Libres Pensadores Marti-Maceo. Named for Cuban heroes Jose Martí and General Antonio Maceo, the organization functioned as a social and recreational society for members of Tampa’s Afro-Cuban community of cigar workers. Although the organization originally served both Black and white Cubans as the Club Nacional Cubano, Octubre 10, an era of segregation forced the group to split into two separate societies- the Círculo Cubano and Los Libres Pensadores Martí-Maceo. The first official meeting of Los Libres Pensadores (“the freethinkers”) took place October 26, 1900 at the home of Cuban immigrants Ruperto and Paulina Pedroso. The organization eventually merged with La Unión, an Afro-Cuban society in West Tampa, to form La Sociedad la Unión Martí- Maceo. The collection includes records of Sociedad la Unión Martí-Maceo include organizational documents and published works from the society's library.

Additional materials have been added to the collection to provide research context. Those are noted in the metadata.

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Afro-Cubans in Ybor City: A Centennial History, 1986

Susan D. Greenbaum

A pictorial history of the Afro Cuban community in Tampa, Florida focused on the Sociedad la Unión Martí-Maceo records housed at the University of South Florida Libraries.
Letters, Isolina and Odalina O'Reilly to Aurelio O'Reilly April 10, 1950

Isolina O'Reilly and Odalina O'Reilly

Letters from Isolina and Odalina, Aurelio O'Reilly's sister and daughter, respectively, to Aurelio O'Reilly, containing personal life updates.
Letter, Germán Alvarez Fuentes to Sociedad de Beneficencia Unión Martí-Maceo, December 15, 1944

Germán Alvarez Fuentes

Letter from Dr. German Alvarez Fuentes, Cuba's Minister of Agriculture and Treasurer of the Committee for Victims of Hurricanes, that expresses gratitude to the Sociedad De Beneficencia Union Martí-Maceo for their generous contribution of $378.86 towards helping the hurricane victims in the affected national territory.
Letter, Guillermo Monso Pujol to Juan Casellas, April 27, 1943

Guillermo Monso Pujol

Letter from Guillermo Alonso Pujol, Senator from Cuba, to Juan Casellas, President of La Unión Martí-Maceo, acknowledging the difficult situation faced by the organization and informing that a credit of thirty thousand pesos has been approved to pay off the debts burdening the institution.
Letter, Wayne A. Blossom to Juan Casellas, October 15, 1940

Wayne A. Blossom

Letter from Wayne A. Blossom of the Florida Writers' Project to Juan Casellas, Secretary of La Union Martí-Maceo that encloses an article promised for the new State Factbook or encyclopedia.
Notice, Juan Franco and Eusebio Perez on Official Notice of Newly Elected Board Members, June 29, 1940

Juan Franco and Eusebio Perez

Official notice from President Juan Franco and Secretary Eusebio Perez of Sociedad de Beneficencia, Instrucción, y Recreo of La Union Martí Maceo stating that the individuals listed in the margin were elected board members. Notice has an inscription on the back
Membership Registry, 1931-1958

Sociedad la Unión Martí-Maceo

A register of the names, ages, and addresses of Sociedad La Unión Martí-Maceo members from 1931-1958.
Play, "La Loca De La Casa," circa 1929

Agustin Rodriguez

Agustin Rodriguez's one-act comedy play, debuted at the Payret Theater in Habana, Cuba, performed by the Regino Lopez Theater Company on May 28, 1929. Subsequently, the play was also staged in Tampa, FL, in 1931.
Letter, Jacinto San Martín to President of the Sociedad la Unión Martí-Maceo, February 6, 1928

Jacinto San Martin

Letter from Jacinto San Martín in Cuba to the President of La Union Martí Maceo Sociedad de Beneficencia y Recreo, expressing congratulations on the newly elected board members and addressing the issue of El Mundo newspaper consistently ignoring their Society. San Martín suggests sending news to other newspapers to avoid isolation and unrecognized status, drawing on a similar incident in 1920.
Letter, Angel Solaro to Eusebio Perez, June 2, 1926

Angel Solaro

Letter from Angel Solaro, Cuban Consul of Tampa to Eusebio Perez, Secretary of La Unión Martí-Maceo, expressing gratitude for their kind donation of $25.00 through check No. 43 issued by Ybor City Bank. The donation is intended for the construction of a monument in Playitas in honor of José Martí.
List of Members, Vocales, and Delegations, 1920-1950

Sociedad la Unión Martí-Maceo

A register of the names, vocales, and delegations of Sociedad La Unión Martí-Maceo members.
Letter, Eladio Paula and Jose A. Lopez Betancourt to Julio D. Pozo, December 12, 1917

Eladio Paula and Jose A. Lopez Betancourt

Letter responds to Julio D. Pozo's letter, informing that La Union Martí-Maceo has appointed the sender, Jose A. Lopez Betancourt, and Eladio Paula to represent them in requesting a donation from the Government of Cuba to cover a debt related to a property acquired by the society.
Meeting Minutes, Ladies Committee of Sociedad la Unión Martí-Maceo, August 15, 1916

Sociedad la Unión Martí-Maceo

The minutes of the inaugural general meeting for the Ladies Committee of Sociedad la Unión Martí-Maceo, which took place on August 15, 1916.
Letter, Eulogio Montenegro and Juan Beiro to Jacinto San Martín, August 12, 1914

Eulogio Montenegro and Juan Beiro

Letter from President Eulogio Montenegro and Secretary Juan Beiro of Colonia Libertad to Jacinto San Martín expressing their desire to establish one or more agricultural colonies in Cuba with the support of the government, aiming to improve the lives of Cuban workers and contribute to the country's agricultural wealth.
Letter, Eugenio Moro to Jacinto San Martín, August 12, 1914

Eugenio Moro

Letter from Eugenio Moro, Vice Secretary of Asociación de Emigrados Cubanos, “Colonia Libertad” , to Jacinto San Martín of Ybor City, extending congratulations on the newly elected board of directors.. The letter also mentions sending correspondence to the President of the Republic of Cuba, Mario G. Menocal, and influential personalities in Cuba to seek support for their aspirations.
Letter, Clemente Schniep to President of the Unión Martí-Maceo, February 13, 1912

Clemente Schniep

Letter from Clemente Schniep, the President of Sociedad de Instrucción y Recreo of the Nación Lucumi in Cienfuegos, Cuba, to the President of Sociedad Unión Martí Maceo in Ybor City, informing him of his appointment as Honorary President during a General Meeting.
Letter, Eugenio Montenegro and Eufemio Miró to Mario G. Menocal, September 9, 1910

Eugenio Montenegro and Eufemio Miró

Letter from Eugenio Montenegro, President of Colonia Libertad and Eufemio Miró, Vice President of Colonia Libertad to President of the Republic of Cuba, Mario G. Menocal, requesting relief from hardships, expressing their desire to return to Cuba as productive farmers, and seeking land, resources, and government support to establish a successful agricultural colony.
Fundadores de la Sociedad La Unión, 1904-1906

Sociedad la Unión Martí-Maceo

A register of the names, ages, and addresses of Sociedad La Unión Martí-Maceo members from 1904-1906.
Libro de Registro de Socios, 1904-1907

Sociedad la Unión Martí-Maceo

A register of the names, ages, and addresses of Sociedad La Unión Martí-Maceo members from 1904-1907.
Minutes, First General Meeting for Sociedad la Unión Martí-Maceo, 1904-1910

Sociedad la Unión Martí-Maceo

The minutes of the inaugural general meeting for Sociedad de Instrucción y Recreo y La Sociedad de Socorros Mutuos of La Unión, 1904-1910.
Registro de Membership, 1904-1907

Sociedad la Unión Martí-Maceo

A register of the names, ages, and addresses of Sociedad La Unión Martí-Maceo members from 1904-1907.
Registro de Socios, General Membership, 1907-1909

Sociedad la Unión Martí-Maceo

A register of the names, ages, and addresses of Sociedad La Unión Martí-Maceo members from 1907-1909.
Bajas y Ingreso, 1902-1903

Sociedad la Unión Martí-Maceo

A register of leave and entry into Sociedad La Unión-Maceo's membership for 1902-1903.
Letter, Osvaldo to Aurelio O'Reilly, circa 1900s

Osvaldo

Letter from Osvaldo to his uncle Aurelio O'Reilly, referred to as "Tio Yeyo", sharing the news that the baby has been gaining weight, reaching 11 ½ pounds at almost two months old.