Felix D. Almaraz Jr.
Distinguished Achievement Awards: Piper Professor 2003
(May 1, 2003)--UTSA Professor of History Felix D. Almaraz Jr. has been named Piper Professor of 2003 by the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation of San Antonio. The Piper Award is one of the most distinguished teaching awards in Texas.
A noted historian, writer and teacher, Almaraz teaches UTSA courses on modern and colonial Texas, cultural origins of San Antonio, the Spanish borderlands, imperial and modern Spain, colonial Mexico and Latin America. He earned B.A and M.A. degrees from St. Mary's University and a Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico.
Almaraz was recently honored with the Medal of the Order of Civil Merit, bestowed by Spanish Ambassador Javier Ruperez on behalf of King Juan Carlos I of Spain. One of Spain's highest honors, the award recognizes Almaraz for his "long-term commitment to research and composition devoted to the Spanish Borderlands in North American History."
The medal was awarded during a symposium celebrating the relationship between the Canary Islands and San Antonio. The symposium marked the opening of the Aula Canaria venue and an announcement of the new Canary Islands library collection, both at the UTSA Downtown Campus.
His other awards include the UTSA Alumni Association 2002 Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award, 2002 induction into the Texas Institute of Letters and the 2001 Certificate of Commendation from the American Association for State and Local History.
Almaraz is author of "Tragic Cavalier: Governor Manuel Salcedo of Texas, 1808-1813," "The San Antonio Missions and Their System of Land Tenure," "Cisneros 2000: Faces of the Borderlands" and "Knight without Armor: Carlos Eduardo Castaneda, 1896-1958."
He has lectured at many regional, national and international conferences on the Spanish borderlands of North America, the San Antonio missions, and historical and modern Spain. He spoke on "Canary Islanders, Soldiers and Franciscans" last year at the Daughters of the Republic of Texas Twelfth History Forum at the Alamo.
Almaraz recently edited the book, "Madero in Texas," by the late David Nathan Johnson, which describes how San Antonians supported Madero and other Mexican exiles in their plan to topple dictator Porfirio Diaz.
"'Tragic Cavalier' was my first favorite book because of the beautiful illustrations by Jose Cisneros, an eminent artist of the borderlands of El Paso," said Almaraz. "'Knight without Armor' is my current favorite because my search for Carlos Castaneda took more than 20 years. It was an experience that taught me a lesson that good writing, like exquisite wine, cannot be rushed."
Organized in 1950, the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation supports charitable, scientific and educational undertakings.
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© The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2003