Eliseo Diego Papers
Scope and Contents Note
The Eliseo Diego Papers consist of approximately 8 linear feet. The collection is organized into six different series: Correspondence, Writings by Eliseo Diego, Writings by Others, Printed Materials, and Photographs and Audiovisual Materials.
Correspondence includes two subseries, which are arranged alphabetically: 1) With Eliseo Diego 2) Between Others. Major correspondents include Ray Bradbury, José Coronel Urtecho, Fefé Diego, Robert Fernández Retamar, Diego García Elío, Bella García Marruz, Fina García Marruz, Angel Gaztelu, Nicolás Guillén, Antonio Turul, and Cintio Vitier.
Writings by Eliseo Diego contains six subseries: 1) Articles and Stories 2) Lectures and Notes 3) Notebooks and Journals 4) Poems 5) Translations 6) Published Works. Each subseries is arranged chronologically. Of note are original manuscripts which includes Diego's first published book, En las oscuras manos del olvido, extensive notes and writings on children and Cuban literature, exhaustive collection of handwritten and typescript poems, and drafts of translations by Eliseo Diego.
Writings by Others includes three subseries: 1) Articles and Stories 2) Interviews with Eliseo Diego 3) Poems. These are arranged chronologically and by author. Most numerous are writings by Diego's children, Rapi, Fefé, and Lichi. Also includes writings and dedicatory poems by many from the Orígenes group: José Lezama Lima, Nicolás Guillén, Cintio Vitier, Fina García Marruz, Gastón Baquero, and Agustín Pí.
Printed Materials features three subseries: 1) Books 2) Journals and Magazines 3) Newspapers. These are arranged chronologically and contain several special editions from Ediciones Vigía and a comprehensive catalog and copies of newspaper articles related to Eliseo Diego.
Biographical Materials includes three subseries: 1) Personal Documents 2) Bibliographies and Indexes 3) Awards. These are arranged chronologically. Of note are documents related to Eliseo Diego and Bella Garcí's educational development and extensive materials from the Premio Juan Rulfo event in 1993.
Photographs and Audiovisual Materials consists of a folder of family photographs and a folder containing a cassette tape from a tribute to Eliseo Diego.
Dates
- Creation: 1928-2016
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1940-1993
Language of Materials
Spanish, Russian, French, English
Access Restrictions
Unrestricted.
Use Restrictions
Standard copyright restrictions apply.
Biographical Sketch
Eliseo Diego was born in La Habana, Cuba on July 2, 1920 to a Cuban mother and Spanish father. Diego excelled at writing and storytelling at a young age, interests that would stay with him his entire life.
Growing up in La Habana, Diego attended school at El Colegio La Luz where he met Cintio Vitier, future writer and lifelong friend to Diego. The two of them directed a magazine titled Luz. Diego would later receive a high school degree in 1939 from Instituto La Habana.
Eliseo Diego enrolled at Universidad de La Habana where he would meet his eventual wife Bella Esther García-Marruz Badía. Both of their studies focused on pedagogy and other education-related subjects. Eventually Diego would complete his degree in Pedagogy from the Universidad de la Habana in 1959.
As a poet and writer Eliseo Diego published his first book En las oscuras manos del olvido in 1942 at the age of 22. 1944 marked the first issue of Orígenes, an impactful Cuban literary journal in which Diego had a founding role. Other notable published works by Eliseo Diego include Noticias de la Quimera (1975), Los días de tu vida (1977), A tráves de mi espejo (1981), and Inventario de asombros (1982).
Bella and Eliseo would have three children: Constante (Rapi), Josefina (Fefé), and Eliseo Alberto (Lichi), who all would become writers and artists in their own right. Eliseo Diego also had an impact as a literary critic, translator, and as an expert in children's literature. Eliseo Diego received many honorary degrees and awards in his lifetime, most notably the Premio Nacional de Literatura de Cuba in 1986 and the Premio Internacional de Literatura Latinoamericana y del Caribe Juan Rulfo in 1993.
Eliseo Diego would spend his final months in Mexico City where he lectured at UNAM. On March 1, 1994 Diego died in Mexico City and would later be buried at the Colón Cemetery in La Habana, Cuba.
Full Extent
8 linear feet
Abstract
The personal papers of Cuban poet, novelist, translator, and literary figure, Eliseo Diego. The collection contains correspondence, writings by Eliseo Diego and others, and other materials that trace his development as an educator, husband, father, writer, and one of the founding members of the Orígenes Group.
Acquisition Information
Purchase, 2019.
Additions
No further materials are expected for this collection.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Dylan Joy, 2021.
- Title
- Eliseo Diego Papers
- Status
- Edited Full Draft
- Author
- Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection
- Date
- 2021
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard (Dacs)
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the Benson Latin American Collection, The University of Texas at Austin Repository
2300 Red River Street
Austin Texas 78712 United States
(512) 495-4578
bensonspecialcollections@austin.utexas.edu