One Day in December: Celia Sánchez and the Cuban Revolution

by Nancy Stout

  IN HAVANA, CELIA’S LEGACY is in her buildings and projects, such as Coppelia, the Cohiba cigar factory El Laguito, the archives, Lenin Park, vegetable gardens, and in the people who grew up in the capital, brought there for an education, and who stayed to go on to lead successful lives, and never looked back. If Celia has a successor, he is the historian of the city of Havana, Eusebio Leal, whom she encouraged personally. He has created large projects funded by the state, sanctioned by Fidel, projects that enhance the city, generate income, create jobs, and celebrate Cuba.

  The painter Asger Jorn died in 1973, and the Danish government decided it was important to preserve the large group of murals he made in the Office of Historical Affairs in 1968. Three years, from 2006 to 2009, were spent restoring them, including the scene painted by Celia.

  In the years following Celia’s death, special medals and commemorative stamps were issued with her image; her portrait is the watermark on several pieces of the country’s currency; a Spanish ballet was named for her; her name is on schools, hospitals, and various community centers, from Cuba to Zimbabwe. In recent years, the house in Media Luna where she was born was declared a national monument. The house in Pilón, badly damaged by the 2011 hurricane, is in the process of restoration. Wood to rebuild the house is being seasoned.

  In Manzanillo, her image dominates Revolution Plaza in an extravagant tableau, mostly made of shining steel, of the landing of the Granma, a powerful reminder of her role in the Revolution. Yet there is another monument, located on the upper end of Caridad Street. This old thoroughfare, once a steep, two-way street, has been converted into a wide set of steps paved in dark red terracotta. Cross streets intersect it, functioning as wide landings, as the steps climb upward. On each landing, the buildings are covered in murals made of ceramic tiles that glitter in the sunlight. At the bottom, the murals feature palm trees against a clear blue sky, but as you climb higher, the murals are of fields of sunflowers. Cubans place sunflowers on the altar of the Caridad del Cobre Virgin, and this mural casts Celia Sánchez in the same manner. White doves hover and swarm in a field of sunflowers. At the top of this strange picture, Celia’s head, sculpted in terracotta, emerges. It is as if she’s wearing a dress, stiff and enormous, like the jeweled dress worn by the Caridad Virgin. The monument is two-sided and faces the Sierra Maestra in the east, the sea, and Havana to the west. In a tradition I find fitting both in its beauty and its irony, people of Manzanillo commonly use the monument as a marriage altar.

  Acknowledgments

  A few close friends gave me good advice and generously shared their expertise: film-editors Thom Noble and Antonia von Drimmelen; television producer Lucy Scott; Cuba expert Sandra Levinson; fellow writer Corey Sabourin; historian Anne Hayes; graphic designer Lawrence Wolfson; architect Gabriel Feld and psychoanalyst Nellie Thompson, who assisted me in many different ways.

  In the book world, I have been loyally supported by literary agents Charlotte Sheedy and Meredith Kaffel; and senior editor at Rizzoli, David Morton who have provided encouragement to me personally every step of the way. As the project expanded, they were joined by Jess Taylor, a master at storytelling. At Monthly Review, I’d particularly like to thank John Simon for his enthusiasm for the book. Michael Yates, Martin Paddio, and Scott Borchert have gracefully guided the manuscript to publication.

  In Cuba, I am grateful to the many people who shared their knowledge of Celia Sánchez and the Cuban Revolution mentioned throughout the book; I want to single out Nelsy Babiel, curator of Celia’s papers at the Office of Historical Affairs, and my translator, Argelia Fernández, for their constant help and encouragement. But a handful, early on, paved the way. I’m especially grateful to Bruno Rodríguez, Lizette Vila, and the late Pedro Alvarez Tabío for their assistance in gaining access to the historic documents.

  Writings about Celia Sánchez Manduley

  BOOKS AND ARTICLES

  Editorial. “A Celia.” Granma, 11 enero 1986, 1.

  Acosta, Teófilo. En Zimbabwe: escuela “Celia Sánchez Manduley.” Granma, 18 junio 1981, 5.

  Aguirre Gamboa, Fidel. Celia, heroína de la revolución cubana. La Habana: Editora Política, 1985.

  Alarcon Marino, Roberto. Historia de Media Luna. La Habana: Editorial de Ciencias Sociales, 2005.

  Álvarez Tabío, Pedro. “Celia. Cabal imagen del pueblo.” Bohemia 77/2 (11 enero 1985): 2.

  ———. “Todo importa después.” Bohemia 76/18 (4 mayo 1984): 54–59.

  ———. Celia: ensayo para una biografía. La Habana: Oficina de Publicaciones del Consejo de Estado, 2003.

  Benítez, Augusto E. “En recuerdo de Celia. Museo histórico de Pilón.” Bohemia 80/2 (9 enero 1987): 61–62.

  Bequer Cespedes, Adelaida. Celia: la flor más autóctona de la Revolución. La Habana: Editorial de Ciencias Sociales, 1999.

  “Biografía. Celia Sánchez Manduley.” Militante Comunista (enero 1986): 96.

  Castillo, Bernal, Andrés. “Como una madre para los combatientes rebeldes. Celia: la primera mujer guerrillera.” Juventude Rebelde, (18 marzo 1982): 2.

  ———. “Conoció a Fidel en febrero de 1957.” Trabajadores (18 febrero 1987): 4.

  Editorial. “Celia: la mas autóctona flor de la Revolución.” Granma, 10 enero 1981, 1.

  Editorial. “Celia.” Granma, 12 enero 1986, 1.

  Editorial. “Celia, en el recuerdo eterno.” Trabajadores, 11 enero 1982, 3.

  Chirino, Lilan. “Celia, aquella muchacha excepcional.” Juventude Rebelde, (10 enero 1985): 6.

  Espín, Vilma, with Nayda Sango. “Habla de Haydée y Celia.” Bohemia 73/10): (6 marzo 1981): 36–39.

  Fresnillo, Estrella. “Celia vive.” Juventude Rebelde, (11 enero 1981): 8.

  Guerra, Wendy. Nunca fui Primera Dama. Barcelona: Bruguera, 2008.

  Hart Dávalos, Armando. “Discurso en el sepelio de la compañera Celia Sánchez Manduley, 12 enero 1980.” Granma, 13 enero 1980, 4.

  ———. La más autóctona flor de la Revolución. La Habana: De la Cultura Ediciones, 1990.

  Oficina de Publicaciones del Consejo de Estado. La epopeya del Granma. La Habana: Oficina de Publicaciones del Consejo de Estado, 1986.

  Oficina de Publicaciones del Consejo de Estado. La fibra mas intima y querida de la revolución: palabras y escritos con motive del vigésimo aniversario de la desaparición física de Celia Sánchez. 10–11 de enero del 2000. La Habana: Oficina de Publicaciones del Consejo de Estado, 2000.

  Lechuga, Lilian. “El padre de Celia.” Bohemia 75/40 (7 octubre 1983): 84–89.

  National Security Archive. “Bay of Pigs: 40 Years After, Index of Declassified Cuban Documents.” George Washington University, February 15, 2005, www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/bayofpigs/cuba.html.

  Oliva, Milagros. “Celia: comunista, constructora, soñadora.” Mujeres 24/1) (enero 1984): 8–9.

  Pena, Jacinto E. Celia en la clandestinidad. Bayamo: José Joaquín Palma, 1990.

  Rodríguez Menéndez, Roberto. Una muchacha llamada Celia. La Habana: Editorial Pueblo y Educación: Pablo de la Torriente, 1996.

  Sarabia, Nydia. Manuel Sánchez Silveira: médico rural. La Habana: Ministerio de Salud Pública, 1971.

  Sarabia, Nydia. “Celia palma y clavellina.” Revolución y Cultura (119) (junio 1982): 7–13.

  Oficina de Publicaciones del Consejo de Estado. “Testimonios: Celia habla acerca del recibimiento de la expedición del Granma.” in Cinco Palmas. La Habana: Boletín de las Oficinas de Asuntos Históricos y de Publicaciones del Consejo de Estado. Vol. 1 (May 1, 1994): 42–58.

  Thomas-Woodward, Tiffany A. Myth, Mother, Mujer: Celia Sánchez Manduley, a Cuban Revolutionary. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico, 1999.

  Waldo López, González, and Maria Del Carmen. “Para Celia.” Muchacha, enero 1984, 42–43.

  FILMS

  Álvarez, Santiago, dir. Celia. Filmed interview, November 3, 1976. Havana: Instituto Cubano del Arte y la Industria Cinematográficos, 953 II-A, R2.

  Celia: leyenda y presencia.
Documentary directed by Pedro Álvarez Tabío. 27 min., Tele-Rebelde, 11 enero 1985. Available at http://www.cubainformacion.tv.

  Galiano, Carlos. “Celia: imagen del pueblo.” Granma Resumen Semanal. (3 febrero 1980): 5. (He refers to the 1976 film by Santiago Álvarez.)

  “La Plata.” Celia, fuego y canto. Pedro Álvarez Tabío, prod., and Haydée Tabraue Garí, dir. La Habana: Televisión Cubana, 2000.

  LITERATURE AND POETRY

  Alonso, Dora. “Se lo ceñiste, Celia, a los valientes.” Revolución y Cultura 122 (octubre 1982): 29.

  Garzón Céspedes, Francisco. “Las fotos de sus manos.” Revolución y Cultura 122 (octubre 1982): 25.

  Editorial. “Photograph of Celia Sánchez Manduley.” Hoy, 26 febrero 1959, 2.

  Barnet, Miguel. “Celia: amó lo bello porque lo bello era lo justo.” Revolución y Cultura 122 (octubre 1982): 29.

  Caignet, Maria Victoria y Gonzalo Córdova. “Un sentido de la cubanía muy particular.” Revolución y Cultura 122 (octubre 1982): 32.

  García Valdés, Manuel. “A Celia Sánchez Manduley: envíos poéticos.” Mujeres 20/7 (junio 1980): 46–47.

  Hart Dávalos, Armando. “Celia.” Biblioteca Nacional, Revista 71/1 (enero–abril 1980): 5–20; Bohemia 72/3 (18 enero 1980): 58–62; Verde Olivo 21/3 (20 enero 1980): 8–13.

  Hernández García, Edenia. “A la flor de la Revolución.” Mujeres 20/7 (junio 1980): 46–47.

  Leyva, Audecelia. “A Celia Sánchez Manduley.” Yumurí (Matanzas) 5/24 (15 junio 1980): 2.

  Morales Cano, Onofre. “A nuestra Celia Sánchez ‘capitana del pueblo.’” Yumurí (Matanzas) 5/24 (15 junio 1980): 2.

  Morejón, Nancy. “Celia.” Revolución y Cultura 122 (octubre 1982): 27.

  Orta Ruiz, Jesús. “Poema a Celia Sánchez: ‘Pido permiso a la muerte.’” Granma Campesino 23 (enero 1980): 18; Trabajadores (12 enero 1980): 6.

  Pineda Barnet, Enrique. “Celia. Poema.” Gaceta de Cuba 187 (julio 1980): 11.

  Ramírez, Luisa. “A Celia.” Con la guardia en alto 19/4 (abril 1980): 33.

  Rivero Suárez, Aleida. “Celia de todos los días.” Granma Campesino 23 (enero 1980): 18.

  Robinson Calvet, Nancy. “Y aquí en el corazón del pueblo.” Granma Campesino 23 (enero 1980): 18.

  Serrano Coello, Carmen. “Poesías a Celia.” Maguana (Baracoa) 3/8–9 (abril–septiembre 1980): 23.

  Vidal, Rafael. “Celia Sánchez.” Yumurí (Matanzas) 5/24 (15 junio 1980): 2.

  Select Bibliography/Further Reading

  BOOKS AND ARTICLES

  Acosta, Heberto Norman. La palabra empeñada. La Habana: Oficina de Publicaciones del Consejo de Estado, 2006.

  “Address of His Excellency Dr. Fidel Castro of the Government of Cuba, and Chairman before the 34th Session of the General Assembly.” New York Times. 14 Oct. 1979: 66.

  Aguilar, Luis E. Cuba 1933: Prologue to Revolution. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1972.

  Ameringer, Charles D. The Cuban Democratic Experience: The Auténtico Years, 1944–1952. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2000.

  Anderson, Jon Lee. Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life. New York: Grove Press, 1997.

  Argote-Freyre, Frank. Fulgencio Batista. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2006.

  Babun, Teo. The Cuban Revolution: Years of Promise. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2005.

  Baez, Luis. Secretos de generales. Barcelona: Losada, 1997.

  Bardach, Ann L. Cuba Confidential: Love and Vengeance in Miami and Havana. New York: Random House, 2002.

  Bayo, Alberto. One Hundred and Fifty Questions Asked of a Guerrilla Fighter. New York: U.S. Joint Publications Research Service, 1959.

  Beals, Carlton. The Crime of Cuba. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott, 1933.

  Blight, James G., Bruce J. Allyn, and David A. Welch. Cuba on the Brink: Castro, the Missile Crisis, and the Soviet Collapse. New York: Pantheon Books, 1993.

  Bonachea, Rolando E., and Nelson P. Valdés. Revolutionary Struggle, 1947–1958. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1972.

  Bonachea, Ramon L. The Cuban Insurrection, 1952–1959. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Books, 1974.

  Bornot, Thelma, and Enzo Infante Uribazo. De Tuxpan a La Plata. La Habana: Editorial Orbe, 1979.

  Brenner, Philip. The Cuba Reader: The Making of a Revolutionary Society. New York: Grove Press, 1989.

  Burri, René. René Burri: Cuba y Cuba. Milan: Federico Motta Editore, 1994.

  Cabrera, Lydia. El Monte. La Habana: Ediciones C.R., 1954.

  Casal, Lourdes. Women, War, and Revolution. Edited by Carol Berkin and Clara M. Lovett. New York: Holmes & Meier, 1980.

  Castenada, Jorge. Compañero: The Life and Death of Che Guevara. New York: Knopf, 1997.

  “Castro Costs New York $170,000 in Two Days.” New York Times. 13 Oct. 1979: 5.

  Castro, Fidel, and Frei Betto. Fidel Castro Talks on Revolution and Religion with Frei Betto. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1987.

  “Castro Says He Felt Safe in New York.” New York Times. 16 Oct. 1979: B6.

  Castro Speech Database. Latin American Network Information Center, University of Texas at Austin, http://www.lanic.utexas.edu/la/cb/cuba/castro.html.

  “Castro Visit All but Stops Activity in Usually Bustling Midtown Area.” New York Times. 12 Oct. 1979: A1, B3.

  Cedeño, Pineda R., and Michel D. Suárez. Son de la Loma: los dioses de la música cantan en Santiago de Cuba. La Habana: Andante, 2002.

  Chomsky, Aviva, Barry Carr, and Pamela M. Smorkaloff. The Cuba Reader: History, Culture, Politics. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2003.

  Coltman, Leycester. The Real Fidel Castro. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003.

  Corrales, Raúl. Playa Girón. La Habana: Editorial Letras Cubanas, 1981.

  Coyle, Beverly, and Alan Filreis, eds. Secretaries of the Moon: The Letters of Wallace Stevens & José Rodríguez Feo. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 1986.

  Cuban Revolution Collection. (MS 650), Manuscripts and Archives, Yale University Library, New Haven.

  Cuza, Malé B., Pamela Carmell, and Malé B. Cuza. Women on the Front Lines. Greensboro, NC: Unicorn Press, 1987.

  Desnoes, Edmundo. Punto De Vista. La Habana: Instituto del Libro, 1967.

  Desnoes, Edmundo, and William Luis. Los Dispositivos en la flor: Cuba, literatura desde la Revolución. Hanover, NH: Ediciones del Norte, 1981.

  Depestre Catony, Leonardo, and Eladio Blanco Cabrera. Cuando el país llama: epistolario. La Habana: Editora Política, 1990.

  Diaz Roque, José. Eduardo Chibás: el gran cívico. Cienfuegos, Cuba: Ediciones Mecenas, 2005.

  Dieterich, Heinz, Paco Ignacio Taibol II, Pedro Álvarez Tabío, Ernesto Guevara, and Raúl Castro Ruz. Diarios de guerra: Raúl Castro y Che Guevara. Madrid: La Fábrica, 2006.

  Domínguez, Jorge I. To Make a World Safe for Revolution: Cuba’s Foreign Policy. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1989.

  Dorschner, John, and Roberto Fabricio. The Winds of December. New York: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, 1980.

  Dosal, Paul J. Comandante Che: Guerrilla Soldier, Commander and Strategist, 1956–1967. University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 2003.

  English, T. J. Havana Nocturne: How the Mob Owned Cuba and Then Lost It to the Revolution. New York: William Morrow, 2008.

  Escalante, Font F. Executive Action: 634 Ways to Kill Fidel Castro. Melbourne: Ocean Press, 2006.

  Espinosa, Belkis, and Jorge L. Llópiz. Cine Cubano: 30 Años En Revolución. La Habana: Centro de Promoción y Estudio del Cine “Saúl Yelín,” 1989.

  “Excerpts from Castro’s Speech before General Assembly at U.N.” New York Times. 13 Oct. 1979: 5

  Falagán, Benítez I., and González D. G. Orozco. El Órgano Oriental: Señor De La Música Molida. Bayamo, Granma: Editorial Orto, 2004.

  Fernández, Revuelta A. Castro’s Daughter: An Exile’s Memoir of Cuba. New York: St. Martín’s Press, 1998.

  Fernández, Robaina T. El Negro En Cuba, 1902–1958: Apuntes Para La His
toria De La Lucha Contra La Discriminación Racial. La Habana: Editorial de Ciencias Sociales, 1994.

  “Few Reminders of the Gaudy Past If You Go . . . ” New York Times. 21 Oct. 1979: XX23.

  Fitzgerald, Frank T. The Cuban Revolution in Crisis: From Managing Socialism to Managing Survival. New York: Monthly Review Press, 1994.