# Urbano Martínez Carmenate **Date of birth:** February 12, 1953 **Categories:** Society, historian, professor, Writer, essayist, researcher Urbano Martínez Carmenate is one of the main yumurino historians and, furthermore, an educator on the subject and museologist. He is an essayist and historian. He has published numerous works in Cuba and abroad, including Open Bridges: Matanzas Literature of the Nineteenth Century. He is the author of numerous unpublished texts. He exercises his teaching work at the University of Matanzas Camilo Cienfuegos, at the Juan Marinello Higher Pedagogical Institute and the Provincial Museum of the Junco Palace. He is also the author of an extensive and varied body of work about his native land. A man of literary training, he has investigated his local artists or those linked to it (José Jacinto Milanés. Havana, Unión, 1989; Domingo del Monte and His Time, Maracaibo, University of Zulia, 1996; Bonifacio Byrne, Havana, Política, 1999; Nicolás Heredia, Havana, Política, 1999), more generic aspects of his culture (Athens of Cuba: From Myth to Truth, Matanzas, Ediciones Matanzas, 1987; Italian Memory. Matanzas, Matanzas, Vigía, 1997; Open Bridges: Matanzas Literature, Matanzas, Ediciones Matanzas, 1998; Wet Letters. The Poetic City, Matanzas, Ediciones Matanzas, 2012) and his past in general (History of Matanzas, 16th-18th Centuries, Matanzas, Ediciones Matanzas, 2017). Urbano was born in Cárdenas. He studied through high school in his native city. He graduated from the National School of Culture Cadres from 1973 to 1975. He began his literary activity linked to his work as regional director of Literature in Cárdenas, between 1972 and 1973, during which time he produced the "Literary Window" program on the local radio station Radio Ciudad Bandera. In 1975 he established his residence in the city of Matanzas, where he worked as director of Literature until 1977 and literary advisor to the Children's Theater from 1977 to 1979, while also studying in the specialty of Bachelor's Degree in Hispanic Languages and Literatures at the University of Havana from 1975 until graduating in 1981. He is a graduate in the French language from the Federico Engels school in Matanzas (1987). He participated in the I Latin American Congress of History of Science and Technology in 1985 and in the World Symposium on Rock Art in 1986, in Havana. In 1988 he was sent by the Ministry of Culture of Cuba to the People's Republic of Angola, as an advisor to the Institute of Angolan Cultural Heritage, where he worked until 1989. From 1979 he worked as a researcher at the Provincial Museum of Matanzas. He belongs to UNEAC (Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba) and the National Union of Historians of Cuba. He was associate professor at the Juan Marinello Higher Pedagogical Institute and the University of Matanzas Camilo Cienfuegos, and auxiliary researcher. He has served as a judge in multiple provincial contests and has been part of juries in provincial, national and international events. Between 1987 and 1988 he was part of a working team of the Minister of Culture, Dr. Armando Hart, dedicated to the investigation of Cuban culture. Candidate in 1999 for the National Prize for Literature. His book Domingo del Monte and His Time was a finalist in the Ramiro Guerra Prize, sponsored by the Union of Historians of Cuba to distinguish the best History book. Works Published Athens of Cuba: From Myth to Truth (essay). Matanzas: Ediciones Matanzas, first edition, 1987. Matanzas: Ediciones Matanzas, first edition, 2001. On the Origin of the Name of Matanzas: New Reflections. José Jacinto Milanés (biography). Havana: Ediciones Unión, 1989. Domingo del Monte and His Time (biography). Maracaibo (Venezuela): University of Zulia, first edition, 1996. Havana: Ediciones Unión, second edition, 1997. Italian Memory (essay in collaboration with Raúl Ruiz). Matanzas: Ediciones Vigía, 1997. Open Bridges: Matanzas Literature (1813-1844) (essay). Matanzas: Ediciones Vigía, first edition, 1998. Matanzas: Ediciones Matanzas, second edition, 2007. Nicolás Heredia (biography). Havana: Editorial Política, 1999. Bonifacio Byrne (biography). Havana: Editora Política, 1999. History of Matanzas (16th-18th Centuries). Matanzas: Ediciones Matanzas, 1999. García Lorca and Cuba: All the Waters. Havana: Center for Research and Development of Cuban Culture Juan Marinello, first edition, 2002. Granada: Provincial Government of Granada; Federico García Lorca Cultural Board, second edition, 2004. Chronicles of Dust. Mexico City: Casa Maya de la Poesía, 2004. Carilda Oliver Labra: Poetry as Destiny. Havana: Editorial Letras Cubanas, 2004. Wet Letters. The Poetic City (essay). Matanzas: Ediciones Matanzas, 2012. Foundation Prize of the City of Matanzas 2011. Byrne, the Verse of the Homeland (biography). Matanzas: Ediciones Matanzas, 2013. Orlando García Lorenzo Criticism Prize, 2014. Milanés: The Golden Strings (biography). Matanzas: Ediciones Matanzas, 2013. Unpublished The Printing Press in Matanzas (monograph). Collecting in Matanzas: From Private Salon to Public Museum. Matanzas, the Centuries of the Middle Ages (monograph). Sources for the History of Matanzas (bibliographic compilations in collaboration with Raúl Ruiz). Carpentier, the Other Novel (biography). As a Collective of Authors Matanzas Municipality. Havana: Editorial José Martí, 1987. "Matanzas: Notes for Its History," in Historical Notebooks of Matanzas, 15. Matanzas: Provincial Committee of the PCC, 1991. Zapata Swamp: Contribution to a Regional Study. Matanzas: Ediciones Matanzas, 1999. Matanzas, Historical Summary. Barranquilla (Colombia): 1998. Barcelona (Spain): Vilanova, second edition, 2000. The Numbers of Time. Brief Historical Chronology of the Province of Matanzas. Matanzas: Ediciones Matanzas, 2006. Contributions to Periodicals such as Bohemia (Havana), La Gaceta de Cuba (Havana), Journal of the José Martí National Library (Havana), magazine Matanzas (Matanzas), Girón (Matanzas), Yumurí (Matanzas), Journal of Vigía (Matanzas), Jornal de Angola (Luanda, People's Republic of Angola), Revolution and Culture (Havana). Honors 1989: International Collaborator Medal. 1990 and 1994: Laureate Seal. 1994: Order for Cuban Culture. 1995: Distinction "Majadahonda 1936" (UNEAC). 1998: Medal "Raúl Gómez García". 1999: Medal for the Tricentennial of Matanzas. Acknowledgments National Recognition from the Provincial PCC for his outstanding work as a member of the Section of History Activists of that Provincial Committee; 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984. Recognition from the Municipal Culture Office of Perico for his contribution to the creation of the Municipal Museum, 1982. Certificate "150th Anniversary of the Gener and Del Monte Library of Matanzas" in recognition of the collaboration he has provided to this institution, 1985. Recognition from the provincial branch of Performing Arts of UNEAC "for his contribution to the consolidation of the Papalote theater group," 1985. Recognition from the Provincial Assembly of People's Power "for the contributions made to the development of Matanzas culture," 1989. Diploma from the Matanzas branch of the Academy of Sciences "for his outstanding scientific work in the five-year period 1986-1990." Presented in 1991. "Trenches of Ideas," distinction from the Central Army "for his outstanding work in patriotic, military and internationalist education based on the dissemination of glorious combat traditions," 1991. Recognition from the provincial branch of the Academy of Sciences for his outstanding scientific achievements, 1991. Certificate awarded by the newspaper Girón "in recognition of the contribution provided in the effort to inform, educate and guide the people," 1995. Recognition from the Provincial Center for Advancement of Culture in Matanzas "for having contributed to raising the cultural and technical preparation of technicians, specialists and cultural personnel." 1995. Diploma as founder of UNHIC in Matanzas; 1997. Recognition from the "Carilda Oliver Labra" chair of the ISP "Juan Marinello." "For his outstanding work in the promotion and dissemination of the work of Carilda Oliver Labra." Recognition from the Provincial Center for Cultural Heritage of Matanzas "for outstanding investigative work." 1998. Recognition from the Provincial Culture Office "for outstanding work in 1998." Recognition from SNTC "for his praiseworthy investigative work." 1998. Diploma from the Provincial Culture Office of Matanzas "for his outstanding participation in defense of Cuban culture and in the promotion of community work." 1999. Distinction awarded by UNHIC for his outstanding scientific work, 1999. Certificate conferred by the Provincial Culture Office "for its activities linked to cultural research." 1999. Diploma from the Provincial Culture Office for the results obtained in research in 1999. Matanzas, 2000. Special recognition from the Provincial branch of UNHIC for his historiographic work; July 2000. Recognition Diploma from the Base Section of UNHIC for his outstanding scientific work; November 2000. Outstanding Work at the Provincial Culture and Development Event; April 2001. Orlando García Lorenzo Criticism Prize, 2014. Provincial Diploma of recognition from the National UJC for being one of the most outstanding young people in the country in cultural work. 1983. Diploma from the Cultural Heritage Office of the Ministry of Culture "for his work promoting and protecting cultural heritage," 1989. "Merit Diploma," awarded by the Jury of the National Exhibition of Bibliographic Compilations "in recognition of his bibliographic work," 1989. Diploma "20th Anniversary of the Culture Union" for his outstanding participation in the development of the culture of the Cuban nation, 1997. Diploma from the History Institute in recognition of his scientific contribution to the historiography of the period of U.S. military occupation. Events International First Latin American Congress of History of Science and Technology. Havana, 1985. World Symposium on Rock Art. Havana, 1986. International Round Table sponsored by UNESCO on the Kingdom of the Congo. Luanda, 1988. International Symposium on the History of Regions in Latin America and the Caribbean. Matanzas, 1993. International Symposium "Museology and Society." Matanzas, 1996 III Ibero-American Meeting on the work of Dulce María Loynaz. Pinar del Río, 1997. International Colloquium on the work of Carilda Oliver Labra, Matanzas, 1998. International Workshop "Museology and Society," 1998. International Workshop "Museology and Society," 2000. National II National Meeting of Researchers of Cultural Heritage. Varadero, 1981. III National Meeting of Researchers of Cultural Heritage. Havana, 1983. First Scientific Conference of the Institute of Historical Sciences. Havana, 1986. IV National Meeting of Researchers of Cultural Heritage. Havana, 1986. Scientific Conference on the Centennial of the Abolition of African Slavery in Cuba. Matanzas, 1986. Meeting on Regional History sponsored by the House of the Caribbean, Santiago de Cuba, 1987. First National Scientific Workshop on Cultural Animation "The Museum and the School." Matanzas, 1988. V National Meeting on the History of Cuban Museums. Matanzas, 1990. Colloquium for the 50th Anniversary of the Poetry Collection "South of My Throat" by Carilda Oliver Labra. Matanzas, 1999. Scientific Workshop 160th Anniversary of the Ladder Conspiracy. Matanzas, 2004. XVIII National Congress of History. Matanzas, 2005. Provincial First Symposium on Culture in Matanzas, 1982. First Provincial Meeting of Cultural Institutions. Matanzas, 1983. First Provincial Meeting of Historians. Cárdenas, 1983. Second Symposium on Culture in Matanzas, 1983. Round Table for the 130th Anniversary of Juan Gualberto Gómez's Birth; Sabanilla, 1984. Commemorative Symposium for the 90th Anniversary of February 24th. Matanzas, 1985. Second Provincial Meeting of Cultural Institutions. Matanzas, 1986. Commemorative Round Table for the 150th Anniversary of Máximo Gómez. El Roque, 1986. "Cárdenas and Its History" Conference. Cárdenas, 1987. Commemorative Event for the Centennial of Poet Luisa Molina. Sabanilla, 1987. Provincial Meeting of Researchers of Cultural Heritage. Varadero, 1987. Round Table "Archaeology in Matanzas," organized by ACC for the 298th Anniversary of the Founding of the City. 1991. Symposium on Culture in Matanzas, 1991. Provincial Meeting of Researchers of Cultural Heritage. Matanzas, 1992. Commemorative Event for the 150th Anniversary of the Ladder Conspiracy. Matanzas, 1994. Provincial Meeting of Researchers of Cultural Heritage. Matanzas, 1996. Colloquium for the Centennial of María Villar Buceta. Matanzas, 1999 First Provincial Meeting on the Study of Sugar Heritage. Matanzas, 1999. Round Table for the 160th Anniversary of the Death of José María Heredia. Matanzas, 1999. Provincial Meeting of Researchers of Cultural Heritage. Matanzas, 1999. Second Workshop "Heritage, Man and Nature." Varadero 1999. Provincial Meeting of Literary Workshops. Matanzas 1999. Workshop on Women in History. ISP Juan Marinello. March, 2000. Event on the Work of Carilda Oliver Labra. ISP Juan Marinello. July, 2000. Provincial Event on Sugar Heritage. July, 2000. Scientific Workshop Athens 2000. Matanzas. October 2000. Second Meeting of Basilio Alfonso Historians. Varadero, December 2000. Provincial Event on Culture and Development. Matanzas. April 2001. III Provincial Meeting on Sugar Historical Heritage. Matanzas, July 2001. Athens Event 2006, October 2006. Provincial Meeting of Literary Workshops. September, 2006.