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- Born in Havana, Cuba, José Martí was a published poet by age 15. In 1868 he supported a Cuban rebellion against the Spanish government and served six months of hard labor for his actions. Soon after, Martí was seen as dangerous to the Cuban government and was sent to live in Spain. While there, he received two degrees from the University of Zaragoza. In 1878 Martí returned to Cuba but was forced to return to Spain in 1879. He traveled from Spain to France to New York City to Venezuela. Wherever he went, Martí wrote poetry, eventually publishing those poems as a collection entitled Versos libres (Free Verses). Martí also wrote essays, including Emerson, published in 1882, and Bolívar, published in 1893. In 1892 Martí was elected leader of the Cuban Revolutionary Party. From his home in New York City, he planned an attack to free Cuba from Spain. The fighting began in April 1895. Martí died on the battlefield of Dos Ríos a month later.
