She was an outstanding Haitian composer and performer who spent most of her artistic life in Cuba. Born on March 21, 1919, in the bosom of a humble family in the capital of Haiti, she grew up and developed among the songs of the peasants of her native land. Precisely because of her ideas of social justice since 1950, Marta Jean Claude was persecuted and imprisoned. After her release from prison, she decided to emigrate and arrived in Cuba in 1952 from Venezuela. Cuba welcomed her as a daughter. When referring to the meaning that Cuba had in her life she said: "Cuba has been in all my actions, in all my loves, in my heart and in my memory".

In Cuba, she continued to develop her artistic vocation and to spread Haitian rhythms and dances on the various stages where she performed. Her warm and penetrating voice was heard in the main theaters and cultural centers of the country, as well as in radio and television programs. She even participated in Cuban films and was a member of the jury at the New Latin American Film Festival.