In 1959, Fidel Castro overthrew Fulgencio Batista’s regime in Cuba and closed down the casinos. This created significant problems for Cuba. Its $60 million tourism sector dried up.
Castro found his answer in an unlikely person: boxer Joe Louis.
Castro thought he could use Louis’ celebrity to entice Black Americans to vacation in Cuba - and Louis was down with the plan. Because of Jim Crow, it was difficult for middle-class Black people to travel to the U.S. and resorts in the Caribbean.
This was a win-win for everyone.
This deal was $282,000 to help promote Cuba in Black print media in exchange for a 15% commission from Cuban tourism. Louis assembled a commission of Black newspaper editors and leaders, then they began promotion, praising Cuba as a racially tolerant place.
The U.S. was not happy about it.
As the U.S.-Cuba relationship crumbled, American politicians saw Louis’ relationship with Cuba as an insult. White media ran stories discrediting Louis’ commission, and suggested that Black people may take up arms against the U.S. as Castro did against Batista.
Feeling pressured, Louis ended the commission.
Cuba’s tourism picked up when they invited Canadians and Europeans to the country. Soon after, Cuba promoted itself as a Latin/white country, while Afro-Cubans greatly suffered from racial discrimination.