Vintage matte-finish 3.5 x 5.5 photo, signed and inscribed in ink, “A mi amigo y compatriota Armando del Moreal pas su lucha por la revolucion, Fidel Castro, New York, 1955” [loosely, “To my friend and compatriot ... in the fight for the revolution”]. At the time of signing, Castro had only recently been granted amnesty for a prison sentence stemming from his leading role in the disastrous attack on the Moncada Barracks in 1953. Having gained his freedom in May 1955, Castro regrouped in Mexico, where he founded the 26th of July Movement (a reference to the Moncada Barracks attack) and planned further insurrectionary actions. In the fall of the same year, Castro made a well-publicized trip to New York City, where he led a rally to raise funds for the revolutionary movement. The visit raised thousands of dollars and did much to raise the profile of the rebels’ cause in the United States. (It also led to Castro’s arrest by the FBI, though he was soon released.) After years of struggle, Castro and his followers would ultimately unseat the Batista regime in January 1959. Castro’s next trip to New York, in September 1960, was as head of the Cuban delegation to the United Nations. In very good to fine condition overall with scattered mild soiling, a few minor dings, faint spots, and surface marks (including a pinpoint abrasion to face), and a touch of edge wear. The overall impact is quite striking, and signed Castro photos of such early date, with an association of such interest, are quite scarce. Auction LOA John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and R&R COA.
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