Did You Know?
Céspedes, who launched the revolt, is honoured in Cuba as the "Father of the Homeland" for his role in starting the independence struggle.
Independence Day
🇨🇺 Cuba
- Public Holiday
- Countrywide
- Fixed date
Overview
Independence Day in Cuba marks the start of the country's fight for independence from Spain on 10 October 1868. It is a national public holiday, observed each year on that date, and is tied to the cry for freedom raised by landowner Carlos Manuel de Céspedes.
What It Is
The holiday falls on 10 October each year and is observed nationwide as a public day off. Official ceremonies and tributes take place around the country, with particular attention to the eastern part of the island where the uprising began, and speeches and wreath-laying recall the independence fighters. Because it is a civic remembrance rather than a festival, the day centres on national memory and reflection.
Why It Matters
On 10 October 1868, Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, a sugar planter, rose against Spanish colonial rule at his La Demajagua estate in eastern Cuba. He freed the people enslaved there and called others to join the cause, an act known as the Grito de Yara or Grito de Demajagua. The uprising opened the Ten Years' War, the first of several conflicts that carried Cuba toward independence. Cubans therefore treat the date as the beginning of the nation's independence struggle, even though full independence came decades later.
Countries Celebrating
1 country
See what else is celebrated today around the world.
Discover other holidays and observances happening right now.