Born of Galician parents who emigrated to Cuba, Professor José García-Mazás’ life could fill an action-packed film, including being sent to boarding school in Spain at age 11 and not seeing his parents again until age 27; barely escaping from Spain with his bride in the middle of the Spanish Civil War; his extraordinary university career in New York as professor at Columbia, NYU, and CUNY, where he was a pioneer of the Spanish/Hispanic doctorate program; a historian; author; journalist; poet; an artist and family man who still had the energy and determination to help bring much-deserved recognition to Spain and the Hispanic world within American society. To this end, his most important chapter was his very close relationship with the renowned Hispanist and philanthropist Archer Milton Huntington and his wife, the sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington. Together, they embarked in numerous projects in Spain, the U.S., and Latin America, such as the monument of The Torch Bearers in Madrid, and the monument to José Martí in New York’s Central Park South.
Although he was awarded Spain’s highest civilian award, the medal of Isabel la Católica, Professor García-Mazás always said the only worthwhile recognition was the merit of the project itself. His life is living proof for today’s generation that one should never give up on their dreams, and that every attempt at success will leave behind a footprint that future generations can follow.
The tribute will be hosted by Francisco Javier Martínez Sanchiz, former Legal Advisor to the UN Security Council.
This event is part of our CreateNYC Language Access Series on Cuban History, Art, and Literature. It will be held in Spanish, with simultaneous English translation.
INSTITUTO CERVANTES
211 E 49th St, bet. 2nd & 3rd Aves., NYC
FREE for MEMBERS
of CCCNY or INSTITUTO CERVANTES
RSVP AT:
info@cubanculturalcenter.org
This event is organized by Instituto Cervantes and co-sponsored by The Consulate General of Spain in New York, and Hispanic Society Museum Library
And is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
With the promotional collaboration of
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