a fictional character based on him, named Ricardo Santurce, in his play El loco de los balcones. Ricardo Alegría lived in Old San Juan in his later years, until his death on July 7, 2011. He had been hospitalized in San Juan's Centro Medico (Medical Center Hospital) a few weeks before his death. After a brief recovery, he relapsed, and was returned to the medical center, where he died of heart failure. Awards and recognitions In 1993, President Bill Clinton presented Alegría with the "Charles Frankel Prize" for his contributions in the field of archaeology. In 1996, he was awarded the "James Smithson Bicentennial Medal". In 2001, Alegría received from the hands of Nancy Morejon "The Haydee Santamaria Medal" in Havana, Cuba. In 2002, Alegría received the "Luis Muñoz Marín Medal" in recognition of his life achievements from Puerto Rican Governor Sila Calderón. Puerto Rican artist Lorenzo Homar honored Alegría by making an artistic graphic poster of him. Alegría also received recognition from cultural and architectural organizations in Peru, Venezuela, Mexico and the Dominican Republic, where he also received an honorary doctorate. The city of Havana recognized his influence in the project to remodel the city's historical district (similar to Alegría's work in Old San Juan) by honoring him with a plaque, which, while he was alive, was the only monument honoring a living Puerto Rican in the entire city. Puerto Rican folk duo Los Niños Estelares dedicated a tribute song to Alegría, named "Alegría, Doctor Alegría", in their 2010 album, Namasté. In it they describe many of Alegría's accomplishments, his educational background, and -partly in jest, due to Alegría's impressive credentials- likened him to Indiana Jones. In the lyrics, they name Alegría "the last Puerto Rican hero." Works The following is a list of books which Alegría has either authored or co-authored. See also List of Puerto Ricans Puerto Rican scientists and inventors Notes References External links Jornada Centenario - Ricardo E. Alegría Gallardo 1921 births 2011 deaths Burials at Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery Puerto Rican archaeologists Cultural anthropologists Puerto Rican anthropologists Puerto Rican scientists Puerto Rican educators Puerto Rican non-fiction writers Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences alumni People from San Juan, Puerto Rico University of Chicago alumni National Humanities Medal recipients American Folklorists of Color