Evelio Grillo

Evelio Grillo was an American writer and community organizer. He is a well-known advocate for civil rights. He is best known for his book Black Cuban, Black American: A Memoir.

Early life and education

Grillo was born in Ybor, Florida to Cuban parents.
As a child, Grillo went to Racial [segregation in the United States|segregated] schools, noting "Black Cubans were closer to black Americans and white Cubans were closer to white Americans became culturally African American." Later, Grillo went on to the prestigious Dunbar High School before attending Xavier University of Louisiana, where he received a BA. Post-war, he took classes at Columbia University in New York City, specializing in Latin American history.

Grillo is the author of the seminal text, Black Cuban, Black American: A Memoir. This memoir detailed not only Grillo's life but the way segregation affected Black Americans during the World War II. It discussed the specific way Afro-Latinos had to live as both Latinos and African-Americans.

Grillo died on December 28, 2008, at the age of 89.