I'm reading Malcolm X's autobiography and he mentions that Fidel Castros stayed at Hotel Theresa . He says that Castro had won a grand psychological victory over USA's foreign department. He goes on to say that the deparment had forbidden Castro to leave Manhattan but never expected him to stay in Harlem and that it made a strong impression on the black community.
What was the psychological victory and what implication did his stay at Hotel Theresa have?
When Castro arrived in the U.S. part of his entourage wasn't allowed to stay at the hotel they originally planned to because some of them were black. In response to this, Castro stayed at the Hotel Theresa, where his entire group was welcome.
If I had to guess what the psychological victory was, it was that Castro was not going to let anybody tell him what to do, and was demonstrating that he couldnt be pushed around. That sentiment goes back to the days of the Platt Amendment and the resentment of many Cubans to foreign intervention by the United States.
Additionally, the Cuban Revolution was proclaimed as a social revolution that would end the corruption that plagued Cuba and make all Cubans equal, including black Cubans. Castro's actions were a jab at race relations and inequality in the U.S.