Nicolás Guillén was born in Camagüey, Cuba, in 1902. His mixed-race heritage (African and Spanish) placed him in the complex racial hierarchy of early 20th-century Cuba. While Cuba had officially abolished slavery in 1886, systemic racism, cultural erasure, and economic disparity persisted.
Guillén laments that the slave trade completely wiped away his original African lineage. He asks his readers, and himself, what his name should have been before it was replaced by a Spanish moniker:
"From seeing myself so often in the registry / from seeing myself in a scrap of paper..." 2. "The Surname" by Langston Hughes
"Don't you know it? It was given to me. / A foreign name, / a stolen identity." el apellido nicolas guillen english translation
Did you find this translation helpful? For more Afro-Caribbean poetry in English, explore our translations of Nancy Morejón’s “Mujer negra” and Luis Palés Matos’s “Canción festiva.”
Throughout his life, Guillén was actively involved in Cuban politics and social movements. He was a member of the Communist Party of Cuba and served as the Director of the Casa de las Américas, a prestigious cultural institution in Havana.
Nicolás Guillén (1902–1989) was a Cuban poet, journalist, and activist. He is widely celebrated as the national poet of Cuba and the chief exponent of literatura negra (Afro-Cuban literature) and the Neorrealismo movement. Nicolás Guillén was born in Camagüey, Cuba, in 1902
The title frames the central conflict of the poem: the poet's search for his authentic, stolen African family name. Notable English Translations
In standard English translations (such as those by Roberto Márquez), this becomes:
Always maintain the Spanish spelling when referring to the Cuban poet to ensure SEO accuracy and historical respect. Guillén laments that the slave trade completely wiped
In English, the name Nicolás Guillén translates directly to . While the spelling of Nicholas changes slightly, the name Guillén typically remains unchanged in English-speaking contexts, as it is a specific Spanish patronymic.
Below is the original Spanish text of "El apellido" by Nicolás Guillén, followed by an accurate line-by-line that preserves the rhythm, rage, and sorrow of the original.
Nicolás Guillén was born in Camagüey, Cuba, in 1902. His mixed-race heritage (African and Spanish) placed him in the complex racial hierarchy of early 20th-century Cuba. While Cuba had officially abolished slavery in 1886, systemic racism, cultural erasure, and economic disparity persisted.
Guillén laments that the slave trade completely wiped away his original African lineage. He asks his readers, and himself, what his name should have been before it was replaced by a Spanish moniker:
"From seeing myself so often in the registry / from seeing myself in a scrap of paper..." 2. "The Surname" by Langston Hughes
"Don't you know it? It was given to me. / A foreign name, / a stolen identity."
Did you find this translation helpful? For more Afro-Caribbean poetry in English, explore our translations of Nancy Morejón’s “Mujer negra” and Luis Palés Matos’s “Canción festiva.”
Throughout his life, Guillén was actively involved in Cuban politics and social movements. He was a member of the Communist Party of Cuba and served as the Director of the Casa de las Américas, a prestigious cultural institution in Havana.
Nicolás Guillén (1902–1989) was a Cuban poet, journalist, and activist. He is widely celebrated as the national poet of Cuba and the chief exponent of literatura negra (Afro-Cuban literature) and the Neorrealismo movement.
The title frames the central conflict of the poem: the poet's search for his authentic, stolen African family name. Notable English Translations
In standard English translations (such as those by Roberto Márquez), this becomes:
Always maintain the Spanish spelling when referring to the Cuban poet to ensure SEO accuracy and historical respect.
In English, the name Nicolás Guillén translates directly to . While the spelling of Nicholas changes slightly, the name Guillén typically remains unchanged in English-speaking contexts, as it is a specific Spanish patronymic.
Below is the original Spanish text of "El apellido" by Nicolás Guillén, followed by an accurate line-by-line that preserves the rhythm, rage, and sorrow of the original.