José Maldonado and Manuel José Castellanos were two Cuban pardo veterans who petitioned the court in hopes of securing military status, rank, and salary. In doing so, they made arguments that challenged the existing racial hierarchy. To support their claims, Maldonado and Castellanos drew on family histories that recalled a time when pardo and moreno commanders held real authority. But even as they sought symbolic recognition, new regulations were quietly stripping Black militias of their autonomy. In their petitions, these men acted not only as veterans but also as historians, legal thinkers, and activists navigating a moment of institutional change. Although they succeeded in preserving their families’ stories, their requests for rank and pay were ultimately denied.

Pardo Soldiers’ Historical Claims in Late Eighteenth-Century Cuba by Ana Hontanilla