Cuba Material collection · Colección Cuba Material

Powered by CatalogIt · Gestionada con CatalogIt

Catalog

Commemorative medal of the National Literacy Campaign (Alfabetización) — cased set with service ribbon bar

Object/Artifact

Object Type: State decoration (medal) with suspension ribbon, matching ribbon bar, and presentation case Description: Cased award set comprising (1) a circular gilt medal suspended from a pentagonal Soviet-style ribbon mount on a green/white/red striped ribbon; (2) a matching mounted service ribbon bar; and (3) a hinged presentation case with black exterior and ochre flocked lining. Obverse of the disc bears the relief legend "alfabetización" with a farol (the oil lamp carried by literacy brigadistas), an open primer/book, and a stylized landscape. Reverse bears the Cuban coat of arms flanked by two stars, encircled by "REPÚBLICA DE CUBA" (top) and "CONSEJO DE ESTADO" (bottom). Images 1 and 2 show the obverse and reverse of the same single medal.

Commemorative medal of the National Literacy Campaign (Alfabetización) — cased set with service ribbon bar Commemorative medal of the National Literacy Campaign (Alfabetización) — cased set with service ribbon bar Commemorative medal of the National Literacy Campaign (Alfabetización) — cased set with service ribbon bar - Image 2 Commemorative medal of the National Literacy Campaign (Alfabetización) — cased set with service ribbon bar - Image 2
Commemorative medal of the National Literacy Campaign (Alfabetización) — cased set with service ribbon bar - Image 2

2026.1.8

María Teresa Cornide Hernández collection

2026.1

Belonged to María T Cornide.

Cuba

Caribbean

Central America

Maker: Unknown. No maker's mark or hallmark visible. Date: Circa 1979–1990 (manufacture/award). The medal commemorates the 1961 campaign but is not a 1961 object: the "Consejo de Estado" issuer places its institution within Cuba's reorganized honors system (1978–79) or later. Most plausibly awarded in the 1980s. See Flags.

Obverse: alfabetización, with farol-lamp and book devices. Reverse: REPÚBLICA DE CUBA / CONSEJO DE ESTADO, with the national coat of arms and two stars.

case, case lid, medal, ribbon bar

Metal

Fabric

Plastic

Materials: Gilt metal medal (gilded brass or bronze; base metal unconfirmed); machine-woven ribbon (synthetic or silk); metal ribbon-bar mount; presentation case of card or wood covered in cloth/leatherette with flocked textile lining. Technique: Die-struck and gilded disc; pentagonal pin-back suspension mount (Soviet-influenced pattern); woven ribbon; mounted service-bar.

Good

Havana

Cuba

Caribbean

Central America

Campaña de Alfabetización

The National Literacy Campaign was conducted in 1961. Volunteer student brigades (the Brigadas Conrado Benítez) were equipped with a uniform, a blanket, and an oil lamp for traveling the countryside at night; these lamps became the symbol of the brigades. Cuba declared itself a Territory Free of Illiteracy on December 22, 1961. The farol lamp on the obverse references this directly. WikipediaWordpress