Author, historian, and researcher, Dr. José L. Bolívar has dedicated his career to uncovering key moments in Caribbean and Puerto Rican history. His latest work is The Forgotten Founder: Federico Pérez Carbó and Cuba’s Long Struggle for Independence, 1855–1906, with the unpublished diaries of Federico Pérez Carbó and Emilio Bacardí Moreau. It brings to light the remarkable life of Federico Pérez Carbó, whose contributions to Cuban independence and public life have largely faded from historical memory. Drawing on more than a decade of archival research in Cuba, Puerto Rico, Spain, and the United States, as well as family sources, the book traces his journey from revolutionary activism through decades of civic engagement in republican Cuba. The manuscript is currently under review with Louisiana State University Press (LSU Press). He is also the co-editor of acclaimed titles such as Island at War, exploring Puerto Rico’s strategic role during World War II, and Battleship Vieques, recognized as one of Choice’s Outstanding Academic Books Read the review.

With a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from the Department of History of the University of Puerto Rico and a strong academic and professional background, Dr. Bolívar combines rigorous research with a deep passion for storytelling. His work has been published in leading journals and newspapers, both in Spanish and English.