The Letters of Minerva Mirabal and Manolo Tavárez: Love and Resistance in the Time of Trujillo

For the first time in English, the storiesof two Dominican national icons in their own words Theletters between Dominican revolutionaries Minerva Mirabal Reyes and ManoloTavárez Justo tell an intimate story of life and love under the brutaldictatorship of Rafael Trujillo, who held power in the nation from 1930 to1961. Leaders in the 14 of June Movement, Minerva and Manolo were imprisonedmultiple times. Minerva—one of three Mirabal sisters known by the code name“Las Mariposas” (The Butterflies)—was assassinated with her sisters in 1960;Manolo was killed in 1963. This translation and critical edition of theircorrespondence brings their stories to the English-language readers of theworld. Paired with commentary from the couple’sdaughter, political activist Minou Tavárez Mirabal, these 117 letters andtelegrams span from the first notes Minerva and Manolo exchanged while courtingin law school to the last message Manolo sent to 7-year-old Minou before hismurder. Translator Heather Hennes introduces the collection with a history ofthe Trujillo regime and its opposition, and the book includes a foreword byMichelle Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Throughthis volume, readers will discover the human complexities of the iconic andmuch-mythologized “Butterfly” Minerva and will appreciate the importance ofthe couple’s legacy in the politics and democratic growth of the country today.Publication of this work made possible by a Sustaining the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Read more