Who is Celia Cruz?

Celia Cruz is a Cuban-American singer who was popular in the 1950’s  and was the most popular Latin artist in the 20th century. Her first name wasn’t originally Celia. Her full name was Ursula Hilaria Celia de la Caridad Cruz Alfonso. She was born October 21,1925 in Havana, Cuba.

Facts about Celia Cruz

There are three streets named after Celia Cruz.  She has recorded over 70 albums and won over 100 awards.  After high school, she attended the Normal School for Teachers in Havana, intending to become a literature teacher.  She was the ensemble’s first Black front person since its founding about 25 years earlier. In 1962, Celina married the orchestra’s first trumpet player, Pedro Knight, who became her musical director and manager. Three years later, she left a group and become a solo artist.  Her father, Simon Cruz, was a railroad stoker and her mother, Catalina Alfonso, was a homemaker who took care of her large extended family. Cruz grew up in the working-class neighborhood of Santos Suárez, where she was exposed to diverse musicians and performers who influenced her future singing career. Cruz began performing on local radio stations, and she recorded her first track in Venezuela in 1948.  The only female member of the legendary Fania All Stars supergroup, Cruz became known around the world as the “Queen of Salsa.”  She is still one of the best-known Latin artists and one of the most famous Afro-Latinas in the world. In 2003, Cruz passed away from brain cancer. Hundreds of thousands of people attended her viewing and funeral. In 2013, NMAAHC acquired one of Cruz’s colorful costumes, a long sequined dress she wore for performances and a magazine photoshoot.

First Afro Latina to be Put on the Quarter

Celia Cruz will be the first Afro-Latina to be put on the US quarter.  She will be placed in the quarter 2024, and her design will be released mid 2023. She is one of five honorees who are a part of the American Women Quarters Program for 2024.