He traveled to France to learn an office and perceived, from the capital of that country, the effects of the Commune. With the discontinuous studies, but with facility to write, he could gain access nevertheless to a reporter's position in a Parisian magazine, kicking off this way a training that resulted in the magnificent professional of the press that he was.
Defined as journalist, but expert also in the works of publisher and director, he devoted himself, from the pages of the newspapers where he worked in Cuba, France and even Spain, where he lived through a stage of his life like exile, to the defense of the rights of his discriminated black and mulatto brothers, to the instruction and to the education that was opening the way of the freedoms to him.
In newspapers like La Igualdad and La Fraternidad, two publications that for the titles alluded to the scream of the fighting Gallic republicans of oppressive governments, saw were published many of his articles against the segregation and in favor of the respect of the excluded ones and denigrated by the skin color.
In addition to in the previous mentioned newspapers, the informative work and of denunciation of Juan Gualberto Gómez in newspapers like La Tribuna, El Abolicionista and El Pueblo had big scope and aftereffect, and motivated the reporters' emergence that continued his style multiplying the existence of similar newspapers in other provinces along the island nation.
Friend of José Martí from the decade of the 70s, Juan Gualberto Gómez was a patriot of big virtues. When the Guerra Chiquita in 1879 revived in the fields of Cuba, he linked with the pro-independence ones.
In 1892 the Cuban emigrants in the United States joined concerning the Cuban Revolutionary Party founded by Martí. The Delegate entrusted his friend Juan Gualberto Gómez the preparation of the Necessary War in the isle. There came to his hands the order of the National Hero authorizing the uprising of February 24th, 1895.
In 1898 he was appointed the voice of the Representative's Assembly and in 1900 he turned out to be an elect delegate to the Constituent Assembly for the East province. From this political tribune he showed his opposition pointed to the humiliating Platt Amendment.
His rebellious spirit led him to fight the ¨anexionistas´ followers and against those that were identifying with related ideologies.
Orator of sober personality and tireless polemicist, always stayed active in defense of the rights of the blacks with the word and the action. He did not agree in the creation of an exclusive political party for them.
When at the end of his life he received the Gran Cruz Carlos Manuel de Céspedes award, the highest republican distinction, people say that he expressed his displeasure on having received it from hands of Gerardo Machado, a president whose government that represented the shame of all the Cuban with decorum.
Translated by BA in English Language, Manuel Barrera Téllez
{flike} {plusone} {ttweet}