Jose Marti (1853-1895) was a poet, journalist, and the greatest hero of the Cuban struggle for independence.
He was arrested for his revolutionary activities at age sixteen. After his release, he spent much of his life in exile, some of it in the United States.
He founded and led the Cuban Revolutionary Party and wrote about the type of republic he sought. He envisioned an independent Cuba with social justice and political liberty.
In 1895, a new rebellion broke out in Cuba. Marti returned from New York City to lead the fighting.
He was killed in the battle of Dos Rios, but the Cuban War of Independence (1895-1898) continued.
