Fernando Ortiz

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Photo courtesy © María Fernanda Ortiz Herrera.

1881 Born in Havana, Cuba.
1895-1898 Studies law at the University of Havana.
1898 Travels to Spain and continues studies at the University of Barcelona.
1901 Receives a doctorate in law at the University of Madrid.
1906 Writes the book “Los negros brujos (Apuntes para un estudio de etnología criminal),” the first in a famous series Hampa-afrocubana, which also includes “Los negros esclavos” (1916) and “Los negros curros” (1986, posthumous edition).
1910-1959 Works as editor of la Revista Bimestre Cubana.
1912 Edits la Revista de administración teórica y práctica del Estado, la provincia y el municipio.
1915 Joins the Liberal Party.
1940 Writes one of his major works “Contrapunteo cubano del tabaco y el azúcar” (trans. “Cuban Counterpoint: Tobacco and Sugar,” 1955)
1924 Finds the journal Archivos del Folklore Cubano.
1929 Edits el Boletín de Legislación.
1930-1931 Finds and directs the magazine Surco.
1936-1947 Creates the magazine Estudios Afrocubanos. Finds and works as director of the magazine Ultra.
1952 Starts publishing his five-volume work “Los instrumentos de la música afrocubana.”
1959 Publishes “La historia de una pelea cubana contra los demonios,” the first volume of the trilogy “Defensa póstuma de un  inquisidor cubano del siglo XVII.”
1923 Drafted the “Manifiesto del 2 de abril de 1923 de la Junta Cubana de renovación cívica.”
1931-1933 Lives in Washington, helds activities against Gerardo Machado’s dictatorship. Participates in the annual meeting of the American History Association.
1969 Dies on April 10 in Havana.

(Font, Mauricio A. and Alfonso W. Quiroz. 2005. Cuban Counterpoints: The Legacy of Fernando Ortiz. New York: Lexington Books.
Retrieved from Fundación Fernando Ortiz)