| Silvio Zavala | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 7, 1909 Mérida, Yucatán, México |
| Occupation | Historian |
| Awards | Guggenheim Fellowship, 1937 National Prize for Arts and Sciences, 1969 |
Silvio Arturo Zavala Vallado (born February 7, 1909) is a pioneer in law history studies and Mexico’s institutions. Born in Mérida, Yucatán, he studied at the National University of Mexico and at the University of Madrid, obtaining a Ph.D. in law from the latter. He began his professional career in Spain in the Center for Historic Studies in Madrid.
He has been a member of El Colegio Nacional since January 6, 1947, and of the Board of the Chronicle of Mexico City. He received the 1969 National Literature Award; the Vasco de Quiroga Medal (1986); the Rafael Heliodoro Valle Award (1988); the Eligio Ancona Medal; and the Prince of Asturias Award. He served as Ambassador of Mexico in France from 1966 to 1975.
Zavala has written over sixty books and two hundred and fifty articles. In May 2008, at the age of 99, the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) bestowed upon him the Acknowledgment to a Lifetime Career to honor his work as a historian, scholar, researcher, thinker and cultural advocate. [1]