Parque Amigos de Jose Marti .... A little Cuba in Tampa's Ybor City.

When stepping into Parque Amigos de Jose Marti, you're on Cuban soil.

In 1956, before the communist revolution in Cuba, this little bit of America was privately purchased then deeded to and accepted by the Republic of Cuba in memory of Jose Marti, a patriot prominent in Cuba's struggle for independence from Spain.  Cuban President Batista agreed to provide some funding to support the memorial park but that was before Castro.  Today, the park, on which grounds soil from each of Cuba's provinces has been spread, is maintained by Tampa under care of the city's Cuban - American community.

In Tampa's Ybor City this small memorial park symbolizes Cuban independence and freedom as   
 dreamed of by Cuban - Americans past and present.  Here, a statue of Jose Marti marks his place 
in the history of both Cuba and the U.S.  The Parque Amigos de Jose Marti encourages reflection 
on what was and might again be on the islas de Cuba, only 90 miles from the shores of Florida.