José Martí was a Cuban poet, journalist, and revolutionary who worked tirelessly for Cuba's independence from Spain. He wrote powerful poetry and essays about freedom, justice, and unity across Latin America, much of it while living in exile — verses from his collection Versos Sencillos later became the lyrics to "Guantanamera," one of Cuba's most beloved songs. He died in 1895 leading a cavalry charge shortly after returning to Cuba to join the fight, and is remembered as a national hero and one of the most important writers in Latin American history.