Topic: Manifestations of African Culture in Cuba.  Today Africa Now!'s topic is Manifestations of African Culture in Cuba, as it continues to highlight this decade as the UN International Decade for People of African Descent (January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2024).  The expansion of the sugar cultivation in Cuba at the turn of the 19th century led to an explosion of the trafficking of enslaved Africans: there are figures that as many as 600,000 Africans were brought to Cuba between 1810 and 1870.  Estimates of people of African descent range from 30% to a little over 60%--officially the figure is 11% of the Cuban population of 11 million people.  As a result of this large African population, Cuba possess a wide array of cultural manifestations from Africa.  Joining Africa Now! to discuss this topic is Netfa Freeman.

Netfa Freeman (L) & Gerardo Hernández Nordelo (R, Member of The Cuban 5) Photo  by Bill Hackwell Courtesy of Netfa Freeman

Guest: Mr. Netfa Freeman, Host and Producer of Voices with Vision on WPFW (Tuesdays 9:00 to 10:00AM) and works at Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) as coordinator for events of the for IPS projects.  He recently was in Cuba.  Netfa has been intimately involved with many movements: such as the 1986 International Peace Gathering in response to the U.S. bombing of Libya; the 1997 Advocates Plus Save UDC Movement; the People Before Profit Community Healthcare Project; Empower DC; Ujamma Youth Farming Project in Gweru, Zimbabwe; a founding member and a lead organizer in the DC-Havana Sister City Project; No War On Cuba Movement; and the International Committee for the Freedom of the Cuban 5.

Originally broadcast on WPFW 89.3FM, Washington, DC.  Tune into Africa Now! live on WPFW 89.3 FM in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area or visit www.wpfwfm.org on Wednesdays from 1:00 to 2:00PM (Eastern).