Showing 7560 results

José Ignacio Rasco, Cuban lawyer, intellectual and politician, was a founder and leader of the Partido Democrático Cristiano (Democratic Christian Party) and other Cuban anti-communist organizations, both in Cuba and in exile. Born in Havana, Cuba, Rasco attended Colegio Belén and later graduated from law school at the University of Havana. Leaving Cuba for exile in the United States in 1960, Rasco first worked as an economist at the Interamerican Development Bank and later as Development Director for Colegio Belén in Miami, Florida.

Rasco continued to be very active in the exile version of el Partido Democrático Cristiano and also regularly published on topics of Cuban history, politicis and diaspora in newspapers, magazines and journals; and continued Jorge Mañach's work on Radio Martí's Universidad del Aire. Rasco passed away at age 88 in Miami, Florida in October, 2013.

Ramón S. Sabat was born in San Fernando de Camarones in the early 1900s. At an early age he started showing his musical inclinations. He studied music with José Rivero Rodríguez and learned to play the clarinet, the saxophone, the flute, and the piano. In 1919, Ramón moved to the United States to study music. While in the United States, Ramón enlisted in the U.S. Army and worked in one of the Army’s bands.

After Ramón served in the U.S. Army, he attended New York University and graduated with a degree in engineering. Mr. Sabat worked in different music labels and started various business ventures until 1944, when he opened the first record factory in Cuba called Panart and released its first recording, “Dry Leaf,” by Carlos Alas del Casino. Panart had a tough time getting started due to RCA Victor’s dominant position in the record market and the relatively new character of the record technology at the time in Cuba. However, Sabat’s business abilities and musical vision made Panart a successful label. By 1957, Ramón had been able to expand his label and had sold around one million records worldwide. Panart helped spread Cuban music throughout the world.

As the Cuban revolution began, Ramón’s wife, Julia, sent copies of master tapes to New York. She was able to save about eighty percent of Panart’s catalog. Ramón did not want to leave his record company, so he sent his two daughters and wife to the United States. Julia then devised a scheme to get Ramón out of Cuba and into the United States. In 1961, Castro’s regime took over Panart. Julia and Ramón then settled in Miami. Julia started a record factory in Hialeah with Ramón’s brother Galo. Though the record label was not as successful as Panart, the music produced was a source of nostalgia for the Cuban refugees and was a reminder of the good times before Cuba fell into communist hands. Ramón passed away from a heart aneurysm on March 15, 1986.

Ramón S. Sabat was born in San Fernando de Camarones in the early 1900s. At an early age he started showing his musical inclinations. He studied music with José Rivero Rodríguez and learned to play the clarinet, saxophone, flute, and piano. In 1919, Sabat moved to the United States to study music. While in the United States, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and worked in one of the Army’s bands.

After Sabat completed his military service, he attended New York University and graduated with a degree in engineering. Mr. Sabat worked at different music labels and started various business ventures until 1944, when he opened the first record factory in Cuba called Panart and released its first recording, “Dry Leaf” by Carlos Alas del Casino. Panart had a tough time getting started due to RCA Victor’s dominant position in the recording market and the relatively new status of recording technology at the time. However, Sabat’s business abilities and musical vision made Panart a successful label. By 1957, he had been able to expand his label and had sold around a million records worldwide. Panart helped spread Cuban music throughout the world.

As the Cuban revolution began, Sabat's wife Julia sent copies of master tapes to New York. She was able to save about eighty percent of Panart’s catalogue. Sabat did not want to leave his record company, so he sent his two daughters and wife to the United States. Julia then devised a scheme to get Sabat out of Cuba and into the United States. In 1961, Castro’s regime took over Panart. Julia and Ramón then settled in Miami. Julia started a record factory in Hialeah with Ramón’s brother Galo. Though the record label was not as successful as Panart, the music produced brought on a sense of nostalgia for Cuban refugees and was a reminder of the good times before Cuba fell into communist hands. Ramón Sabat passed away from a heart aneurysm on March 15, 1986.

Eduardo Áviles Ramírez was born in Juigalpa, Nicaragua, and enjoyed a distinguished career as a journalist, poet, and scholar for more than sixty years. Áviles Ramírez arrived in Cuba as a young man and wrote articles for many newspapers and magazines. He acquired a wide following among Cubans, who came to regard him as a native of Havana. Áviles Ramírez ultimately joined the renowned circles of Cuban journalists and intellectuals. Through his endeavors in the field of poetry, Áviles Ramírez is included in the anthology of Cuban poetry.

In 1922, Áviles Ramírez undertook his final trip to Nicaragua, where he met Ruben Darío, a prominent literary figure. In 1925, Áviles Ramírez arrived in Paris for the first time. He remained there until the outbreak of World War II. Much of his literary work pertains to Paris and its residents. In 1940, Áviles Ramírez was detained and situated outside of the city. Hispanic American diplomats formed a literary discourse, and Áviles Ramírez seized this opportunity to pay tribute to Ruben Darío.

Eduardo Áviles Ramírez traveled around the world, and reported personal experiences on journeys to places such as Constantinople. Áviles Ramírez also wrote about prominent individuals and literary writers. He published a few books and also formed a collection of letters and photographs he had received from different parts of the world. He wrote for newspapers such as Diario de Yucatán, El Universal, El País, and Diario de la Marina. He wrote for magazines such as Bohemia, Gráfos, Puerto Rico Ilustrado, and Revista Cubana.

Eduardo Áviles Ramírez became ill, but his conviction to write did not subside. Despite his infirmity and physical disability to correspond, he would dictate articles to his daughter Yolanda, and she would have them published. Mr. Áviles Ramírez’s last article was published in 1989. He died on June 28, 1989 in Paris.

Max Rameau is the foremost and most publically known activist with Take Back the Land. He also leads the Center for Pan-African Development, and has worked extensively with Brothers of the Same Mind and Cop Watch in the past. At the cusp of the housing crisis, Rameau invited several other South Florida-based black activists to meetings held at Marleine Bastien's office, a group that later became known as the Black Response to the Crisis Group. The group decided on taking action in the form of taking over public land and asserting black political leadership over that land. The first action taken was the erecting of the Umoja Village Shantytown, and later housing liberations and eviction defenses. As Take Back the Land progressed to the national level and took on the shape of a movement, Rameau remained its most vocal proponent and figurehead. He has since relocated to Washington D.C. to take on the role as an alternative voice on the housing crisis more strongly. Rameau is a Pan-Africanist by worldview and in political theory, although he no longer frames Take Back the Land as a Pan-Africanist or Black nationalist project.