Scarce vintage matte-finish 4 x 6 photo, inscribed in ink (in Spanish, including the phrase “por nuestra libertad,” i.e., “for our freedom”) to Dra. [Mayra] Almaguer Paz, signed “Fidel Castro Ruz,” and dated September 27, 1955. The reverse bears Paz’s ownership signature, an archival ink stamp, and a notation indicating that the item was obtained in Havana in 1955. At the time of signing, Castro had only recently been granted amnesty for a prison sentence stemming from his leading role in the disastrous attack on the Moncada Barracks in 1953. Having gained his freedom in May 1955, Castro regrouped in Mexico, where he founded the 26th of July Movement (a reference to the Moncada Barracks attack) and planned further insurrectionary actions. In the fall of the same year, Castro made a well-publicized trip to New York City, where he led a rally to raise funds for the revolutionary movement. The visit raised thousands of dollars and did much to raise the profile of the rebels’ cause in the United States. (It also led to Castro’s arrest by the FBI, though he was soon released.) After years of struggle, Castro and his followers would ultimately unseat the Batista regime in January 1959. In very good condition, with small spots of skinning and light staining at edges (mostly confined to background and away from writing), a few small surface marks, indistinct contrast of a few letters against background, and slightly irregular ink adhesion. The writing is otherwise dark, the image mostly unaffected. Auction LOA John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and R&R COA.
