Rafael Esténger was a Cuban poet, historian, and literary critic who worked in Cuba primarily in the early- to mid-20th century. He was a member of the National College of Journalists and the National Academy of Arts and Letters. Born in Santiago de Cuba in 1899, he graduated from the University of Havana in 1925. He held multiple positions throughout his professional career, including as a lawyer in Oriente, municipal secretary in Santiago de Cuba, and advisor to the National Institute of Economic Reform during the government of Gerardo Machado.
His poetry gained international acclaim, with his first works published in La Independencia, El Cubano Libre and other newspapers in Santiago de Cuba. He was the editor of El Sol and contributed to the publications Letras, El Fígaro, Cuba Contemporánea, Alerta, Avance, and Bohemia. Other famous works include the anthology Cien de las mejores poesías cubanas and Homenaje a Maceo.
