Why did Cuba’s revolutionary government support study of African influences on Cuban culture?

Following the 1959 revolution, the Cuban government prioritized the study of African roots as part of a broader effort to collect and classify the nation's cultural heritage. This initiative was institutionalized through the creation of the Institute of Ethnology and Folklore within the Academy of Sciences of Cuba.1

By promoting the study of these African influences, the government sought to recognize and integrate the diverse components of Cuban identity. This shift occurred alongside significant social changes; whereas the pre-revolutionary era was characterized by ethnic and economic divisions that marginalized Black and mulatto populations, the post-1959 government implemented policies aimed at providing equal educational and employment opportunities to all citizens regardless of ethnic background. Through institutions like the National Folklore Group, which performs Afro-Cuban dances, and museums in Guanabacoa and Regla, the state has worked to preserve and celebrate the Afro-Cuban contributions that are fundamental to the country's history and culture.12