Introduction

The essays in this collection reflect two of Martí’s key observations during his time in the United States: first, how did he, an exile living in New York, view and read his North American neighbors from a sociocultural, political and literary perspective? Second, how did his perception of the modern nation impact his own concepts of race, capital punishment, poetics, and nation building for Cuba?

The overarching endeavor of this project is to view and read Martí with the same critical or modern eye with which he viewed and read Spain, Cuba, Latin America and the United States. This volume, combining many of the most relevant experts in the field of Martí studies, attempts to answer those questions.

It hopes to broaden the understanding and extend the influence of one of Americas’ (speaking of the collective Americas) most prolific and important writers, particularly within the very nation where his chronicles, poetry, and journalism were written.

In spite of the political differences still separating Cuba and the United States, understanding Martí's relevancy is crucial to bridging the gap between these nations.