Julio Antonio Mella

Mella, Julio Antonio 

(real name, Nicanor McPart-land). Born Mar. 25, 1903, in Havana; died Jan. 10, 1929, in Mexico City. Cuban youth leader and Communist.

After entering the University of Havana, Mella headed the movement for university reform, which led to the creation of the Federation of University Students (1923). In 1924 he joined the Havana Union of Communists. In 1925, Mella founded the Anti-imperialist League of Cuba; in the same year, he was elected to the Central Committee of the Communist Party at the party’s constituent congress.

In 1926, persecuted by Cuban authorities, Mella emigrated to Mexico; there he joined the Communist Party of Mexico and was elected to its central committee. In 1927, Mella visited the USSR. After his return, he founded the Association of New Revolutionary Cuban Emigrants (1927) and the Association of Proletarian Students (1928). Mella was assassinated by agents of the Cuban dictator G. Machado.

WORKS

Cuba, un pueblo que nunca ha sido libre. Havana, 1924.
Glosas al pensamiento de Martí. Mexico, 1926.
El grito de los mártires. Mexico, 1926.