Renacimiento was a Cuban Monthly and Illustrated Social Affairs magazine born in Camagüey city in the 20th century, specifically in the year 1933. Its distinctive element was that its editorial board was made up of veterans of the war of independence and their children, preferably from the mambisado negro-mestizo-agramontino. Its director was the independentista Serapio Páez Zamora.
Deputy director: Carmelino Álvarez de la Rosa (famous musician, like other members of de la Rosa family). Administrator: Tomás Vélez Betancourt (notable Teacher Normalista, is part of a family of teachers and PhDs in pedagogy from the 19th century to today). Sub-administrator: Arístides Llorente Aróstegui. General Agent: Ulises Navarro M. Editorial Secretary: Federico Montané Minueses. Cartoonist: José del Pilar Cordoví (graduate of the San Alejandro National Academy of Fine Arts). Social Chronicler: Juan Alfonso Sedrés Guerra (Dr. in Civil Law, councilor). Sport Chronicler: Pachú Adán. Theatrical chronicler: Ángel Ernesto Camacho. Agent and correspondent in the capital of the Republic: Antonio Chappé.
Every customer should know that:
The magazine is produced in the typographic workshops of “El Popular”, located at Independencia number 10, in Camagüey city. The loose number has a value of 10 cents. Quarterly subscription, 30 cents. Semiannual, 50 cents. Annual $1.00. Ad prices per insertion: cheap four lines to column: 25 cents. One eighth of pages: 50 cents. Quarter page: $1.00. Half page: $2.00. Full Page: $5.00. Each magazine advertiser is entitled to one copy of the magazine.
The magazine provides new topics: from essays on art, literature, medicine, feminism, education, history, philosophical questions, among other genres such as chronicles, short stories, sports, interviews, and poetry. Likewise, it is a revealing platform of the social achievements of this social conglomerate, based on sections such as Retrospective looks, Old values, Miscellaneous, Loose notes, Social deferences, Top figures, Proletarian rebellions. They also power their own business and professional advertisements.
Authors and collaborators of the magazine
Dr. Cruz Angulo Verdesi, Mr. Tomás Vélez Vázquez, Fabio Luaces C., María Luisa Vélez Betancourt, José del Pilar Páez Silva, José Varona Hernández, Rosario Navarro Fuentes, Alfonso Sedrés, Jorge Juárez Cano, Serapio Páez Zamora, Rafael Gómez Estévez , Antonio Chape, Bonifacio Romero Pérez, Cristina Ayala, Arístides Llorente, Don Juan de Mata García y González, Pedro Romeu Moliner, Federico Montané Minueses, Antonio Chappe, Alfredo Montané, Ascensión Gregori, Pachu Adán, Ángel Ernesto Camacho, Bonifacio Romero Pérez, Dr. Benjamín Muñoz Ginarte, Vitico González, Dr. Antonio Mesa, Eduardo Morell, María Dámasa Jova, Inocencia Silveira, Elvia Arencibia, Rafael Lara García, Edualdo (sic) Amparo Gómez, Tota Nuñez Vda de Adán, María del Carmen Ortega, Rafael Perez Abreu, Carmelino Alvarez la Rosa, Ramon Gonzalez Cifuentes.
A little bit about history
The Renacimiento Magazine had a monthly sequence. Its first issue came out in March 1933. It had the merit of keeping its feet on the ground and highlighting those people who forge their minds on the anvil of work and temper their souls in the blessed crucible of effort. Among them, Dr. Fernando Bastián Betancourt, who lost his life in the Santa Cruz cyclone while serving as a notary in that town.
Bastián, fatherless since childhood, persevered in the art of music. He was a member of the Children’s Band, from which many teachers from Camagüey arose. Later he learned the trade of tailoring and opened an establishment that supported him financially.
With his fortunes he became a bachelor. At the end of the Secondary Education Institute, he moved to Havana and graduated with a PhD in Civil Law. He began as a Judge in the town of Nuevitas. He later moved as a Notary in the municipality of Santa Cruz. Overall, his political work in the Liberal Party was notable.
But in the hecatomb of September 9th, 1932, his body was not found.
Acrostic Poem
R adiante surges entre las malezas
E n momentos duros sinsabores
N ace Reina Gentil, con la grandeza
A dorada y sentida de los Dioses.
C omo faro de luz en el camino
I rradias soñadora y exquisita;
M e inclino ante tus páginas sentidas
I mi alma tu lectura regocija,
E vocadora de venturas mil
N o debes desmayar en tus ideas
T an nobles y elevadas por su fin,
O n simiente de luz ¡vive y alienta!
Elvia G. Arencibia
28/3/1933
Legacy
It raised the social, cultural and patriotic prestige of the black-mestizo conglomerate and of the popular classes in general. Writers of national and international stature were part of the editorial.
It joined various efforts based on a positive social representation. It became a faithful exponent of all cultural contributions, of all the virtues and all the noble examples that this ethnic conglomerate contributed to social, educational, artistic, mutual aid, economic development, among others.
Bibliography
– Revista Renacimiento (1933).
Translated by: Aileen Álvarez García
