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Victor Andres Triay
University Press of Florida

Fleeing Castro: Operation Pedro Pan and the Cuban Children's Program

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AuthorVictor Andres Triay
PublisherUniversity Press of Florida
PublishedJan 29 2004
Book FormatHardcover
ISBN-139780813016122
Dimensions9.24 X 6.29 X 0.74 inches
Weight 0.83 pounds
BISAC
CategoriesHistory > Caribbean & West Indies - Cuba
LanguageEnglish

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Book Description

A stirring account of the covert effort to smuggle Cuban children into the United States in the aftermath of Fidel Castro's rise to power, Fleeing Castro brings to light the humanitarian program designed to care for the children once they arrived and the hardship and suffering endured by the families who took part in Operation Pedro Pan. From late 1960 until the October 1962 missile crisis, 14,048 unaccompanied Cuban children left their homeland, the small island suddenly at the center of the Cold War struggle. Their parents, unable to obtain visas to leave Cuba, believed a short separation would be preferable to subjecting their offspring to Castro's totalitarian Marxist state. For the children, the exodus began a prolonged and tragic ordeal--some didn't see their parents again for years; a few never did. Until now, this chapter of the Cuban Revolution has been relatively obscure. Initially the result of an effort by James Baker, headmaster of an American school in Cuba who worked closely with the anti-Castro underground, Pedro Pan quickly came to involve the Catholic Church in Miami and, in particular, Father Bryan Walsh, who established the Cuban Children's Program, the nationwide organization that cared for those children without relatives or friends in the United States--almost half of them. The latter program, in effect until 1981, was the first to allot federal money to private agencies for child care, an action with far-reaching repercussions for U.S. social policy. Victor Andres Triay traces this story from its political and social origins in Cuba, setting it in the context of the Cold War and describing the roles of the organizations involved in Cuba and in the United States. Making use of extensive interviews with Baker, Walsh, and influential underground figures, as well as personal letters that document the fears and dreams of both the parents and the children, Triay presents this history of Pedro Pan--the largest child refugee movement ever in the Western Hemisphere--with the drama of an international thriller and the pathos of a heartbreaking family drama.

Author Bio

That is the simple mission of Victor Triay, PhD, professor of history at Middlesex Community College—where he puts history in (dramatic) perspective for the many students who enter his classroom. Victor began his long and distinguished career at Miami-Dade Community College in Florida, where he earned an associate degree in psychology—so it’s fitting he chose to build his career from within the community college environment.

He has developed a high-energy, motivated teaching style that aims to make students “walk out of the classroom feeling smarter than when they walked in.” He takes each subject seriously, but understands the need for theater and intrigue when delivering content that can sometimes be heavy. This helped earn him a reputation as a challenging but engaging instructor.

While Victor’s teaching focuses on United States History, Western Civilization, and World History, he has earned a broader reputation as an expert in Cuban history.

Victor has traveled extensively throughout Western Europe. He studied Spanish Literature and Spanish Art History in Salamanca, Spain, and Italian Language and Italian Art History in Radda-in-Chianti, Italy.

In the summers of 2016 and 2017, he served as the principal investigator for an oral history project centered on members of Brigade 2506 (the invasion force at the Bay of Pigs invasion), whose objective it was to overthrow the dictatorship of Fidel Castro. He completed this task as a visiting scholar with the Cuban Research Institute at Florida International University.

Victor is a member of several associations including Operation Pedro Pan Group, Inc., based in Miami (for which he serves as trustee and a member of its historic committee); the Cuban National Heritage; and the National Association of Cuban American Educators.

At Middlesex Community College, Victor contributes on many levels, having served on countless committees and task force teams that help shape the culture and academic quality at the college. He has worked on MxCC’s accreditation efforts, helped developed honors programs, and served as a mentor in the Minority Fellow program. He has been a tireless lecturer and presenter, representing the school at countless events and meetings throughout the country.

Victor earned a doctorate and master’s degree (both in history) from Florida State University, Tallahassee, and his bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Florida in Gainesville. Prior to joining MxCC, he taught at the Miami Carol City Senior High School and Aucilla Christian Academy, both in Florida.

Source: Middlesex Community College

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