Andres Mattei

Background

Ramos Mattei was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, in 1941.

Career

He is considered the "undisputed authority" on the subject of Puerto Rico"s sugar industry. Ramos Mattei"s career was a multifaceted one, as were his scholarly writings. A student of Puerto Rico in general, he approached insular issues in the broadest possible perspective.

His work was often explicitly comparative but with a regional, Caribbean-wide twist in its implications.

Ramos Mattei"s intellectual passion revolved around the peculiar historical processes of his native Puerto Rican society where he wrote about its enduring and perplexing colonial drama. Ramos" contributions in this field was almost as intense as his contributions to the history of the sugar cane industry.

Ramos Mattei died on 11 February 1988, at the age of 47, in New Brunswick, New Jersey, after a long battle with cancer.

Achievements

• In 2009, the Association of Caribbean Historians honored him issuing a professional prize in his honor. He is also recognized at Ponce"s Park of Illustrious Ponce Citizens.

Membership

He was an active member of the Association of Caribbean Historians, where he was instrumental in establishing fruitful interaction between his fellow historians in Puerto Rico and those of other Caribbean nations.