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The Truth About Cuba Committee, Inc. was founded after the unsuccessful Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in 1961. Confronted with this defeat, a small group of Cuban exiles joined together to disseminate information regarding the political and economic realities of Cuba after the Castro revolution. With the goal of informing the American public about what was happening in Cuba as well as the threat that communism in Cuba posed for the United States, the Truth About Cuba Committee, Inc. (TACC) was incorporated on 30 June 1961 in Miami, Florida. Founding members included Luis V. Manrara, Jorge Bosch, James D. Baker, and Thomas L. Wolfe. The purposes for which TACC was organized were detailed as follows:

a) To establish a non-political Christian organization to disseminated information to the citizens of the United States of America as to the effect of the pro-communist government in Cuba.

b) To give the citizens of the United States of America information as to the communist activity in other Spanish-American countries.

c) To establish information media in the best tradition of free factual journalism.

d) To establish study groups.

e) To promote scholarships to train Christian leadership for Spanish-American countries.

f) To promote Christian youth study groups and youth participation in factual knowledge dissemination as well as adult participation.

g) To extol the virtues of the concept of Christian free enterprise to the citizens of Spanish-American countries.

At the founding of TACC, Luis V. Manrara was elected its president. Manrara was the driving force behind TACC and its longest serving Board member, functioning as president until December 15, 1971 when he resigned due to his declining health. Eduardo Ulacia, who served as Treasurer of TACC, was another long-serving member of the organization. Along with its volunteer board, TACC employed a small administrative staff.

TACC was funded by the donations of individuals from all over the United States, Latin America, and Europe, as well as of a few foundations and corporations, including the Lilly Foundation of Indianapolis and the Barcardi Corporation of Miami. TACC chapters sprouted in the United States, Puerto Rico, the Caribbean and Latin America, and Europe. Funds collected from members and donors were used to publish a large number of publications, in English and Spanish, which were distributed to sustaining members and were made available for free to public and private libraries, governmental offices and agencies, and the media in the US and abroad. Luis V. Manrara offered over 600 interviews on radio and television programs as well as to print media outlets. He also participated as a lecturer in seminars and symposiums in the USA and abroad.

After Mr. Manrara’s resignation on December 15, 1971, Rafael Pérez Doreste was appointed President of TACC. Despite this appointment, TACC activity declined after Manrara’s resignation. On 22 October 1975, Manrara and Thomas R. Wolfe, acting in accordance with TACC by-laws, adopted a resolution to disband TACC. Ramón Gómez was appointed to implement the resolution and dispose of TACC’s assets.

The University of Miami Otto G. Richter Library was selected to receive, preserve, and make available the records of The Truth About Cuba Committee, Inc., which were received on 21 June 1976.

Mark began his career at Security Pacific Realty Advisory Services where he created innovative financial and transaction strategies for troubled assets and opportunistic situations while directing multi-disciplinary teams in land development and building projects nationwide. In addition to lecturing at the University of Miami, he is Senior Vice President of Brookwood Group, manages the firm’s operations in Florida, and brings a broad investment perspective to its development projects and real estate advisory services practice nationwide.

Diego Trinidad, Jr. (d. 1980) was the son of Cuban tobacco entrepreneur, Diego Trinidad (d. 1946), who founded Trinidad y Hermanos in 1905. Diego Trinidad, Jr. grew up in Ranchuelo, Cuba learning the tobacco trade and took over the family business in 1920 at the age of twenty-one. After expanding business operations, Trinidad eventually incorporated the business and renamed it TTT Trinidad in 1958.

Diego Trinidad was at first sympathetic with Fidel Castro’s efforts during the revolutionary period. However, in 1960, Castro seized control of the company and nationalized the tobacco industry. The Trinidad family left Cuba for Miami in November, 1960 where they attempted to reestablish their tobacco firm. The Trinidad tobacco business went through many forms over the years, and as of 2002 manufactures the TTT Trinidad brand of cigars. In 2005, the firm celebrated 100 years of business.