The novel Ramona by Helen Hunt Jackson sparked an interest in California’s Mission Era that attracted visitors from all over the country. But Jackson’s novel was much more than nostalgia for a bygone era — it was a cry for human rights. The story of the author, her work and how Cuba’s most famous exile caused it to echo all over the Americas. Jonathan Alcántar Dr. Jonathan Alcántar is Assistant Professor of Mexican-American Studies at Northern Colorado University. He is an expert on the novel Ramona by Helen Hunt Jackson, and its impact throughout the Americas, especially through poet José Martí’s Spanish translation. Episode Highlights To Learn More