Frank Moya Pons

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Moya and the second or maternal family name is Pons.

Dr. Rafael Francisco “Frank” Moya Pons is one of the leading contemporary historians of the Dominican Republic. He has published many important books in the history and cultural heritage of the country. One of his best-known works is Manual de historia dominicana (1992), now in its tenth edition which is a staple work of Dominican historiography. In 1985 he authored the book Between Slavery and Free Labor: The Spanish, in 1998 The Dominican Republic: A National History and in 2007 History of the Caribbean: plantations, trade, and war in the Atlantic world. He has also conducted much work into slavery in the Dominican Republic and Caribbean.

Moya has a Degree in 'Philosophy' at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD); has a Master in both 'Latin American History' and 'European History' at Georgetown University. Moya has a Ph.D. in 'Latin American History', 'Economic Development' and 'Quantitative Methods' from Columbia University.

Moya Pons has taught history at the Pontifical Catholic University Mother and Teacher in the Dominican Republic, in Columbia and Florida universities in the USA, and has been Research Professor at City College.

Moya was President of the Dominican Academy of History. In 2013, he published Bibliografía de la Historia Dominicana 1730-2010.