Del ser (o no ser) hispano: Unamuno frente a la negritud

Taking as its point of departure the Spanish expression "negra ingratitud de los cubanos," this article analyzes Unamuno's intellectual leadership with a focus on his attitude toward Blacks, which drastically changed throughout his career. If until 1932 Unamuno omitted Blacks from his concept of "Hispanoamericanidad," employing a verbal arsenal partaking of the usual colonialist diatribes, soon thereafter, in large measure owing to his encounter with Nicolàs Guillén, the Spanish philosopher would reverse his position. Living proof of how destiny can be surprisingly ironic, Unamuno became a crucial agent in the redefinition of the literary canon regarding the frequently dismissed "son cubano."