This life-sized bronze bust of José Martí is found with several other busts of International Leaders in Lake Eola's International Plaza and Bridge. I was unable to discover how these notables were selected other than 'someone' donated them.
This bust of José Martí has him in a gentlemen's suit of the style of the time period of the late 1800s. The bust is on a polished stone-tile plinth with a plaque that reads:
JOSÉ MARTÍ
1853 - 1895
Cuba
Patriot, Orator, Journalist,
Writer, Poet, Educator,
Apostle of Freedom
for his Country
"Anamos la libertad,
porque en ella vermos la verdad."
"We love liberty, because in it,
we see truth."
JOSÉ MARTÍ, 1893
Sculptor - Marc Andres Smit
There are plaques on the either side listing all the donors.
"José Julián Martí Pérez (January 28, 1853 – May 19, 1895) was a Cuban national hero and an important figure in Latin American literature. In his short life he was a poet, an essayist, a journalist, a revolutionary philosopher, a translator, a professor, a publisher, and a political theorist. He was also a part of the Cuban Freemasons. Through his writings and political activity, he became a symbol for Cuba's bid for independence against Spain in the 19th century, and is referred to as the "Apostle of Cuban Independence." He also fought against the threat of United States expansionism into Cuba. From adolescence, he dedicated his life to the promotion of liberty, political independence for Cuba and intellectual independence for all Spanish Americans; his death was used as a cry for Cuban independence from Spain by both the Cuban revolutionaries and those Cubans previously reluctant to start a revolt. Martí is considered one of the great turn-of-the-century Latin American intellectuals. His written works consist of a series of poems, essays, letters, lectures, a novel, and even a children's magazine. He wrote for numerous Latin American and American newspapers; he also founded a number of newspapers himself. His newspaper Patria was a key instrument in his campaign for Cuban independence. After his death, one of his poems from the book, "Versos Sencillos" (Simple Verses) was adapted to the song, "Guantanamera", which has become the definitive patriotic song of Cuba." (from (
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Information about José Martí may be found at (
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