Collection CHC5031 - Felix Cruz-Álvarez Papers

Félix Cruz-Álvarez was born in the town of Cárdenas, of Matanzas province, Cuba, on October 18, 1937. He attended primary and secondary school in his home town of Cárdenas at the Colegio Presbiteriano La Progresiva, graduating in June 1955 with a degree in Bachiller en Letras and went on to study law law and social sciences at the University of Havana in 1955-1956 and 1959-1960. In 1960 he discontinued his studies for political reasons.

In 1957-1958 Cruz-Alvarez served public office as secretary in the city council at Cárdenas. During this time period, he also was elected president of the conservative group, Juventud Demócrata, and in 1959 he joined the Ministry of the Sugar Industry, where he worked until 1965.

From 1959 to 1965 Cruz-Alvarez participated in acts of conspiracy against the Communist government of Cuba, and in 1965-1968 he was directed to engage in a series of forced voluntary works for the government. As a result of his anti-government actions, he endured political persecution until he left Cuba via the Freedom Flights, on November 6, 1968. He resided in Chicago between 1968 and 1971 and then resettled in Miami.

Cruz-Alvarez received the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1974 at Biscayne College (currently, St. Thomas University), the Master of Arts degree (1979) and the Ph.D. degree in philosophy from the University of Miami. The title of his dissertation is: Los poetas del grupo de Orígines, which is currently in the holdings of the Otto G. Richter Library at the University of Miami.

He has been a professor of Spanish since 1976, teaching at various local institutions, including Miami-Dade Community College (1976-1981), Florida International University (1981-1982), the Miami-Dade County public school system since 1983, and Miami Springs Senior High School.

Félix Cruz-Alvarez wed the former Xiomara Carbot Estabil on March 7, 1964 in the town of Carlos Rojas, Matanzas province, Cuba.