Podcast Summary: Ada Ferrer, "Cuba: An American History" (New Books Network, Oct 19, 2025)

Episode Overview

This episode features historian Ada Ferrer, author of Cuba: An American History, in conversation with host Steven Rodriguez. They discuss Ferrer’s sweeping, deeply personal history of Cuba, weaving together five centuries of political, social, and cultural stories. Ferrer’s book foregrounds the experiences of everyday Cubans—enslaved people, women, teachers, and her own family—while recentering Cuba’s longstanding and complex entanglement with the United States. The conversation explores how national myths are constructed, the persistence of issues like race and sovereignty, and the author’s approach to narrating such a multifaceted and contested national past.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Personal & Narrative Approach to History

• Ferrer’s Writing Journey
  • Ada Ferrer transitioned from academic monographs to a more accessible and personal narrative, bringing her family's immigrant story into her historical analysis.
  • She describes the act of writing Cuban history for an American audience as a form of “translation.”
  • Quote:
    “So much of what brought me to Cuban history to begin with is personal... I felt like it was there all along and that this was just a chance to bring it out.” (03:22, Ferrer)
• Personal Connection Deepened
  • The process of writing caused Ferrer to reflect deeply on how Cuban history shaped her parents’ life and her own.
  • She wanted readers like her parents, even if they wouldn’t read the book, to see themselves reflected in it.
  • Quote:
    "...this history made me, you know, that it made my parents, it determined so much in their lives and then by extension, my life." (06:20, Ferrer)
• Balancing Personal and Scholarly Voice
  • Ferrer felt freer and more liberated in her writing, blending scholarly rigor with personal anecdotes.
  • She often wrote personal sections in brackets, deciding later to keep them, enriching the narrative texture.

Changing Historical Narratives & American Perceptions

• Evolving Understandings in the US
  • American public perceptions of Cuba have shifted from a focus on US “magnanimity” (helping Cuba achieve independence) to an almost exclusive association with Castro and communism.
  • Quote:
    "The most dominant, I think American view of Cuba... erases all that early history. In popular American culture, Cuba becomes Fidel Castro in 1959..." (09:36, Ferrer)
• De-Centering Fidel Castro
  • Ferrer cautions against overemphasizing Castro, highlighting the deep genealogy of revolutionary ideas and the many actors—students, workers, housewives—who shaped events.
  • The revolutionary movements had antecedents in the 1933 Revolution, the 1940 Constitution, and broader struggles for social rights.
  • Quote:
    "He didn't invent those demands. And many, many Cubans expressed them and shared them and pushed and fought for them for generations before the revolution of '59." (12:20, Ferrer)

National Mythmaking and the Question of Race

• Race and National Identity
  • Powerful national myths portray Cuba as racially harmonious, drawing on ideas from writer José Martí in the late 19th century.
  • The reality never matched this aspiration; black Cubans continuously faced discrimination and were told that seeking rights was divisive.
  • Recurring Rhetoric:
    “...that very call for rights is racist, that very call for rights is divisive and dangerous.” (17:32, Ferrer)
  • Ferrer traces these dynamics from independence through the Revolution and into present-day protests, noting the persistent expectation of “black gratitude and black patience.”
• Cycles of Activism and Suppression
  • When black activists pressed for rights in different eras (1912, 1940, post-1959), the threat of disunity was invoked to suppress demands.
  • Memorable Moment:
    Ferrer draws connections between contemporary reactions to black protesters and those at the turn of the 20th century. (19:10, Ferrer)

Crafting a Panoramic History

• Interweaving Big Picture and Anecdote
  • Ferrer mixed general histories with memoirs and anecdotes—sometimes following a single story (e.g., the U.S. vice president’s inauguration on Cuban soil) down a research “rabbit hole” to illuminate broader themes.
• Resisting US-Centric Narratives
  • She intentionally foregrounds Cuban experiences in events typically filtered through U.S. documentation, as with the Missile Crisis and Bay of Pigs.
  • Quote:
    "No matter what the Americans wanted, you know, they could never land on an empty beach. I mean, these places... are places with deep, rich histories." (25:06, Ferrer)

The Problem of Sovereignty and Cuban Exceptionalism

• The Platt Amendment & Cuban Sovereignty
  • The U.S. imposed the Platt Amendment after Cuba's independence, enabling U.S. intervention and severely limiting Cuban autonomy—a foundational wound in Cuban political identity.
  • Quote:
    "It limited Cuban sovereignty, right, because it explicitly made the task of preserving life, liberty, et cetera... in the hands of the US government rather than... the Cuban government." (34:13, Ferrer)
  • The sovereignty question remains central in Cuban policy and public discourse—including in debates about public health and international aid.
• Title: "Cuba: An American History"
  • Ferrer’s choice destabilizes the term “American,” inviting readers to see Cuba’s story as a mirror and critique of U.S. national mythology.
  • Quote:
    "...any history of a place that is so deeply connected to the United States... means that you are gaining perspective on the US itself... a kind of shadow history of the US.” (40:17, Ferrer)
• Cuba’s Place in Latin America
  • Both in scholarship and identity, Ferrer notes a persistent Cuban “exceptionalism”—born from its nonstandard historical path and singular Cold War profile.
  • However, she argues for recognizing recurring Pan-Latin American consciousness, particularly in the figures like Martí and during moments of regional solidarity.

Lessons for Scholars and General Readers

• Challenging Myths—Personal and National
  • Ferrer recounts moments when established or family stories about Cuban exceptionality fell apart in the face of broader Caribbean patterns—reminding listeners that context shifts the narrative.
• Anticipated Reception and Translation
  • Ferrer hopes for a Spanish translation of her book, imagining that while Cuban and Latin American audiences may not agree with all its interpretations, they will appreciate its “peopled” history and nuanced perspective.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• On Personal Historiography:
  “I felt like it was there all along and that this was just a chance to bring it out.... deeply linked to who I am as a historian and as a person.” (03:22, Ferrer)
• On the Deep Roots of US-Cuban Relations:
  “The depth... the longevity... how far back the US role in Cuba's [history]” (05:18, Ferrer)
• On Decentering Castro:
  “People interested in Cuba often make the mistake of thinking too much about Fidel Castro.” (11:07, Rodriguez referencing Ferrer)
• On Racial Myths:
  “…the most influential idea about race and its relationship to nationality emerged...out of the struggle for independence. Its main proponent was...José Martí, who posited that the Cuban nationality somehow transcended race.” (15:16, Ferrer)
• On the Platt Amendment:
  “What the Platt Amendment did was give the US the right to intervene in Cuba militarily, uninvited by the Cuban government... it limited Cuban sovereignty.” (34:13, Ferrer)
• On Narrating the Missile Crisis from a Cuban Viewpoint:
  “I purposely made the decision to start that story in the little town in Cuba where the missiles were first found...to remind us that they're the ones who are on the front lines of all this.” (24:18, Ferrer)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [01:37] – Introduction to Ada Ferrer & the Book
• [03:22] – Writing a Personal and Accessible History
• [05:08] – Surprising Discoveries About US-Cuban Relations
• [08:28] – How Americans’ Understanding of Cuba Has Shifted
• [11:43] – Decentering Fidel Castro & the Deeper Roots of Revolution
• [15:16] – The Myth and Reality of Racial Harmony in Cuba
• [20:51] – Research and Narration Methods
• [23:41] – Centering Cuban Experiences in US-Centric Events
• [27:00] – Crafting a Voice for a General Audience
• [33:00] – The Platt Amendment and Its Lasting Effects
• [38:52] – The Meaning Behind “An American History”
• [43:43] – Cuba and Latin America: Scholarship and Identity
• [48:12] – Challenging Childhood/Family Myths with Historical Method
• [50:04] – On Translating the Book & Reception in Cuba
• [52:09] – What’s Next for Ada Ferrer

Memorable Moments

• Ferrer’s anecdotes about nearly leaving out personal details, only to find them essential for reader connection. (27:00, Ferrer)
• The ongoing contest over race and rights in Cuba, shown by tracing similar rhetoric from the 19th century through contemporary protests. (19:49, Ferrer)
• Ferrer’s candid admission of writing the book partly to decide on her next scholarly project—and not finding an answer because she found it all compelling. (52:09, Ferrer)

Tone & Takeaways

The discussion is intellectually rich but accessible, balancing scholarly analysis with warmth, humor, and personal reflection. Ferrer encourages rethinking how Cuban and American histories intertwine, challenging exceptionalist myths, and foregrounding the lived experiences of diverse historical actors. This episode is invaluable for anyone interested in Cuba, the Americas, or the craft of history itself.