On October 16, 1953 Fidel Castro gave his iconic History Will Absolve Me speech before a Cuban court. He was on trial for his leading role in the attack on the Moncada Barracks in Santiago de Cuba on July 26, 1953 -- an event seen as the beginning of the Cuban Revolution that would culminate in the overthrow of the Batista dictatorship and the liberation of Cuba from imperialist domination in 1959.
The speech was two hours long and though a guilty verdict for Castro was preordained, it became a manifesto and rallying cry of the revolutionary 26th of July Movement. Copies of it were secretly printed and distributed.
Castro was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison though he was released in 1955 due a general amnesty.
Critical parts of the speech included Castro's proclamation of the "five revolutionary laws" as well as his long and brilliant defense of the people's right to rebel against -- including in armed uprisings -- tyranny and oppression citing, among other examples, the American Revolution and Cuba's own constitution at the time.
You can read the full speech at: History Will Absolve Me (marxists.org)
It culminated with the immortal line "Condemn me. It does not matter. History will absolve me."
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