Historians Juan de la Cruz and Carlos Esteban Deive Receive 2017 Annual History Award

Santo Domingo, March 20, 2018 – Historian Juan de la Cruz Vidal was awarded the prestigious José Gabriel García 2017 Annual History Award during a ceremony held at the Pedro Henriquez Urena National Library.

At the same time, writer Carlos Esteban Deive, who was represented by his son at the event, Leopoldo Deive Maggiolo, also received the award ex aequo.

Present at the head table were writer Federico Henríquez Gratereaux, Vice Minister of Cultural Patrimony, who represented Minister of Culture Pedro Vergés; Ruth Herrera, Director General of Book and Reading for the Ministry and Cesar Zapata, head of Literary Management.

During his brief remarks, writer Henriquez Gratereaux explained that the goal of the award ceremony was to honor the work carried out by the two Dominican writers and historians.

Present at the event were the head of the National Library, Diómedes Nuñez; Dominican intelectual José Antinoe Fiallo, writer Manuel Garcia Arevalo, Miguel De Campos, director of the Museum of History and Geography, and veteran writer and anthropologist Marcio Veloz Maggiolo.

Writer/historian Juan de la Cruz Vidal was distinguished with the 2017 History Award for his book “Guerra de la Restauración: Triunfo del pueblo dominicano en armas” (unofficial translation: War of Restoration: Victory of Dominicans in Arms). He received a certificate of honor and a monetary award valued at more than US$10,000.

Words of Appreciation
An emotional De la Cruz Vidal thanked God for the recognition, his mother, the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, the Ministry of Culture and the members of the jury that chose his book.

On the book, he explained that it highlights the various situations that took place during the country’s 19th century Restoration War. The book will be published and presented during the upcoming Santo Domingo Book Fair 2018.

Juan de la Cruz Vidal received a Bachelor of Arts in history from the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, and a Masters in Higher Education from UNIBE University. Also, a Magister in Philosophy from the University of the Basque Country in Spain. In 2012, he received the “Pedro Francisco Bono” award for his essay on “The Philosophy and Judicial Philosophy of Juan Pablo Duarte,” published by the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (Funglode).

Honoring Esteban Deive
During the event, a special honor certificate was issued to writer Carlos Esteban Deive for his book on Toussaint Louverture and the Black Revolution of 1791 in Haiti. The award was received by his son Leopoldo Deive Maggiolo, who was also presented with a check valued at more tan US$10,000.

Deive is a Spanish-Dominican writer, born in Spain. In 1955 he moved to the Dominican Republic where he received a doctorate in Philosophy and the History of the Americas from the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo. His literary career has earned him numerous awards. In 1963 and 1978 he was distinguished as Best Novelist, and in 1982 for his essay on the Inquisition in Santo Domingo. In 1982 he once again received the National History Award for his book on Voodoo and Magic in Santo Domingo.

The Annual History Award issued by the Ministry of Culture and its main objective is to encourage research and understanding of Dominican history. At the end of the event, the chamber music group Hispaniola, directed by Maestro Luis Augusto Martinez, provided musical entertainment for the guests.