On July 1, 1935, Emilio Roig de Leuchsenring was appointed as the City Historian of Havana. At the time of his appointment, Dr. Roig was a mature man, nearing 46 years old\u2014having been born on August 23, 1889, at Calle Acosta No. 40 in the Havana neighborhood of Bel\u00e9n. He was already a recognized figure in Cuban literature, law, and historiography, enjoying immense prestige among his contemporaries for his unwavering nationalist and anti-imperialist political convictions, as noted by Dr. F\u00e9lix Julio Alfonso L\u00f3pez.<\/p>\n
Dr. L\u00f3pez remarked, \u201cHe was a man who held deep respect for history as a science. He worked to preserve everything from the past that could possibly be saved. That inspired his studies on Heredia, Avellaneda, Narciso L\u00f3pez, and all the great events of our past\u2014even its most intricate details.\u201d Eusebio Leal, who would later succeed him as Havana\u2019s City Historian, echoed these sentiments.<\/p>\n
Roig\u2019s legacy is rooted not only in his tireless efforts to rescue Cuba\u2019s national history but also in his commitment to preserving the cultural heritage intertwined with it. This commitment stood in stark contrast to the intellectual climate of his time.<\/p>\n
With a deep love for Cuba, Roig fought to safeguard the Church of Paula and the San L\u00e1zaro quarries and opposed the destruction of the Convent of Santo Domingo. In 1938, he established the Office of the City Historian, followed by the Commission on Monuments, Historic and Artistic Buildings and Sites of Havana; the National Board of Archaeology; the Museum of the City of Havana; and the Cuban Society for Historical and International Studies. The latter organized the First National History Congress in 1942, a series that continued across various Cuban cities until 1960.<\/p>\n
Dr. F\u00e9lix Julio noted, \u201cRoig\u2019s prestige, tremendous work ethic, and unifying spirit brought together the finest minds in Cuban, Latin American, and international historiography during these congresses\u2014free from ideological, religious, political, or associative discrimination. The Cuban Society for Historical and International Studies was a private, non-governmental institution, keeping it independent of partisan interests or allegiance to ruling authorities.\u201d<\/p>\n
Each of the National History Congresses was presided over by a prominent intellectual or historical figure from the Cuban independence movement, beginning with Don Fernando Ortiz, the patriarch of Cuban social sciences and cultural studies, from October 8 to 12, 1942, and concluding with distinguished professor Fernando Portuondo del Prado, from February 5 to 10, 1960.<\/p>\n
In 1950, Roig convened the Meeting of Caribbean Anthropologists and was a full member of the National Board of Archaeology and Ethnology. He was also a founding member of the Society for Afro-Cuban Studies established by Fernando Ortiz. Roig authored numerous publications dedicated to rescuing and preserving the history of Havana, including La Habana de ayer, de hoy y de ma\u00f1ana (1928) and a series of costumbrista articles published in magazines and newspapers such as El F\u00edgaro, Gr\u00e1fico, Carteles, and Social. Eusebio Leal remarked that these writings showcased Roig\u2019s engaging and direct style, which remains part of his inexhaustible creative legacy.<\/p>\n
He led the initiative to publish the first Cuban edition of La Edad de Oro in 1932, preceded by his studies on Jos\u00e9 Mart\u00ed. In 1935, he published Historia de la Enmienda Platt, a critical interpretation of Cuba\u2019s political reality. Later, he compiled and edited the Actas Capitulares del Ayuntamiento de La Habana and Historia de La Habana, both distributed free of charge and released in 1938 during the inauguration of the Biblioteca Hist\u00f3rica Cubana y Americana Francisco Gonz\u00e1lez del Valle.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was also a driving force behind the most important scientific societies dedicated to historical research,\u201d Leal added. \u201cThat\u2019s why I always think of Historia de la Enmienda Platt, Tradici\u00f3n antiimperialista de nuestra historia, and, most of all, his brilliant 1953 essay Cuba no debe su independencia a los Estados Unidos. I believe his greatest contribution was fostering a strong anti-imperialist tradition, a sense of national sovereignty, and an approach to history that was fearless and unflinching.\u201d<\/p>\n
Therefore, celebrating Roig\u2019s legacy requires action. It\u2019s not enough to mention his name in passing when recalling isolated events or outdated anecdotes. Roig was not just a figure of the past. As the poet and storyteller V\u00edctor Casaus eloquently put it, \u201cA defender of cultural heritage, historian and teacher of historians, activist and creator, editor and essayist\u2014ever the journalist\u2014Emilio Roig was one of those rare figures who, through life and work, against all odds, gave shape to the dreams behind the birth of Cuba\u2019s modern revolutionary awareness.\u201d<\/p>\n
Translated by Luis E. Amador Dominguez<\/p>\n
Photo: La Jiribilla<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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