Alberto Pozos Prieto received the National Critics Award in 2018 for his book El Gran Caribe; in 2019, he received the National Social and Humanistic Sciences Award and in 2020; the National Prize for History. Undoubtedly, he is one of the essential figures in the field of historical sciences in Cuba.
“These awards, and what they mean, have made me feel that my work is highly appreciated by society. In the first 80 years of my life, I never received such major awards, but later on I was granted plenty of them. I acknowledge they all recognize my lifetime work: over 50 years as a professor at the University of Havana, around two dozens of published books and a lifetime dedicated to research.”
Conquest chronicles and other adventure stories were his earliest and favorite readings. They were the beginning of his love for history. He asserts that both the study and spreading of national history is fundamental for the evolution of the identity of the peoples. For that reason, he was encouraged to analyze the transcendence of events for both the continent and the world. Today, he has become one of the intellectuals to take into account with when it comes to the history of Cuba and America.
This unique way of seeing history has made him include, in both his books and lectures, an interpretation of historical events from a political point of view, based on the economic situation existing in every context. He has applied this cross-cutting knowledge to the evolution of America and the Caribbean, of which Cuba is an essential part, he explains.
The researcher emphasizes that history “is a set of assets such as traditions, ways of thinking, customs and behaviors, which give cohesion to society and generate a sense of belonging in each of its members.”
For that reason, going in-depth in the historical events allows us understand the idiosyncrasies of peoples. And, given that human beings need a rational explanation of what happened in the past in order to conceptually grasp the present, they turn to History to supply an interpretation of the past in their evolution.”
The news of the most recent award almost caught him by surprise. “I was thrilled. I have received two of the most relevant awards in the two years before, and I was surprised that I receive the third one for the third consecutive year.” Pozos, who has also received the Frank País and Carlos J. Finlay Orders presented by the Council of State of the Republic of Cuba, explains. “The National Award of History has a special meaning because, as a historian, is the closest recognition to my daily job.” (Translated by ESTI)
