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José de Diego y Martínez (April 16, 1866 – July 16, 1918) was a
statesman A statesman or stateswoman typically is a politician who has had a long and respected political career at the national or international level. Statesman or Statesmen may also refer to: Newspapers United States * ''The Statesman'' (Oregon), a ...
, journalist, poet, lawyer, and advocate for
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...
's political autonomy in union with Spain and later of independence from the United States who was referred to by his peers as "The Father of the Puerto Rican Independence Movement".


Early years

De Diego was born in
Aguadilla, Puerto Rico Aguadilla (, ), founded in 1775 by Luis de Córdova, is a city and municipality located in the northwestern tip of Puerto Rico, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, north of Aguada, and Moca and west of Isabela. Aguadilla is s ...
. He was the son of Felipe de Diego Parajón, a Spanish Army Officer from
Asturias, Spain Asturias (, ; ast, Asturies ), officially the Principality of Asturias ( es, Principado de Asturias; ast, Principáu d'Asturies; Galician-Asturian: ''Principao d'Asturias''), is an autonomous community in northwest Spain. It is coextensive ...
, and Elisa Martínez Muñiz, a native of Puerto Rico. De Diego studied at the Aguadilla Elementary School before being sent to Spain to finish his education at the Instituto Politecnico de Logroño. While in Spain, de Diego attended the University of Barcelona to study law and collaborated with the newspaper El Progreso (Progress), founded by fellow Puerto Rican
José Julián Acosta José Julián Acosta (February 16, 1825 – August 26, 1891), was a journalist and an advocate of the abolition of slavery in Puerto Rico. Early years José Julián Acosta Calbo was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico to Francisco de Acosta y Sandova ...
y Blanco, which attacked the political situation in Puerto Rico; this led to various arrests which lead to his being expelled from the University of Barcelona and eventually forced to leave Spain. He then returned to the island of Puerto Rico. Some time after his arrival in Puerto Rico he traveled again to Cuba to continue his studies at the University of La Habana where he completed his degree in law.


Poetry

In 1886, de Diego had an unhappy love affair which led him to write "A Laura" ("To Laura"). This poem became very popular among the romantics of that time. He became known as the "Father" of the "Modern Puerto Rican Poetry Movement". Among his most noted poetry books are: * ''Pomarrosas'' * ''Jovillos'' * ''Cantos de Rebeldía'' * ''Cantos del Pitirre''


Confederation of the Spanish-speaking islands in the Caribbean

De Diego returned to Spain and studied law in
Barcelona Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...
. However, he did not finish his studies there and transferred to the
University of Havana The University of Havana or (UH, ''Universidad de La Habana'') is a university located in the Vedado district of Havana, the capital of the Republic of Cuba. Founded on January 5, 1728, the university is the oldest in Cuba, and one of the firs ...
in 1891, where he received his degree the following year. He then returned to Puerto Rico to advocate for its autonomy from Spain. The 1876 Spanish Constitution created a centralized state, and ended the ancient system of Autonomies and commonwealth kingdoms. Many in the wealthier regions such as Catalonia, Galicia, the Basque Provinces, Cuba, Philippines and Puerto Rico sought to reinstate it. It coincided with the growth of the republican sentiments. De Diego set up his law practice in Arecibo and was the founder of the newspaper ''
La República LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figur ...
'' (''The Republic''). Together with Román Baldorioty de Castro, de Diego founded the Autonomist Party in 1887. Luis Muñoz Rivera and
Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón (April 22, 1855 – December 13, 1913) was a Puerto Rican lawyer and politician, a member of the Puerto Rican House of Representatives, and a lifelong political contrarian. He favored Puerto Rican autonomy when Puerto Ric ...
, who were members of the party, formed a committee which ultimately convinced the Spanish "Liberal Fusionist" Party leader Práxedes Mateo Sagasta to support the idea of autonomy for Puerto Rico within the Spanish kingdom. De Diego did not accompany Muñoz Rivera and Matienzo Cintrón because he was an antimonarchist: he believed that Spain should be a Federal Republic and Mateo Sagasta's party followed the ideals of the monarchy. De Diego envisioned the establishment of a Confederation of the Spanish-speaking islands in the Caribbean which would include the
Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with ...
and
Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribb ...
, known as the Antillean Confederation. In 1897, the Spanish Parliament granted the Charter of Autonomy to Puerto Rico, pursuant to Art. 82 of the Constitution of Spain acknowledged, after Mateo Sagasta's election as Prime Minister. Puerto Rico became a Spanish Autonomous Province. Muñoz-Rivera became the chief of the autonomous cabinet of the government and Minister or Justice and Grace, De Diego followed Muñoz Rivera's accomplishment and was named Vice-Minister of Justice and Grace. Puerto Rico's autonomy, however was short-lived, being subsequently invaded by the United States.


Politician

José de Diego, together with many republican intellectuals, initially saw the American occupation with a positive attitude. They thought they would become American citizens with the same rights as the citizens in the mainland. He even wrote poems on the topic. However, after the American occupation began in October 1898, the racist attitude of the US military made him rethink his ideals. On June 5, 1900, President
William McKinley William McKinley (January 29, 1843September 14, 1901) was the 25th president of the United States, serving from 1897 until his assassination in 1901. As a politician he led a realignment that made his Republican Party largely dominant in t ...
named de Diego, together with
Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón (April 22, 1855 – December 13, 1913) was a Puerto Rican lawyer and politician, a member of the Puerto Rican House of Representatives, and a lifelong political contrarian. He favored Puerto Rican autonomy when Puerto Ric ...
,
José Celso Barbosa José Celso Barbosa Alcala (July 27, 1857 – September 21, 1921) was a Puerto Rican physician, sociologist and political leader. Known as the father of the statehood movement in Puerto Rico, Barbosa was the first Puerto Rican, and one of the ...
, Manuel Camuñas, and Andrés Crosas to an Executive Cabinet under U.S.-appointed Governor Charles H. Allen. The Executive Cabinet also included six American members. De Diego resigned from the position in order to pursue the island's right to govern itself. In 1904, he co-founded the Unionist Party along with Luis Muñoz Rivera,
Eduardo Georgetti Eduardo Georgetti (October 11, 1866 – 1937), was an agriculturist, businessman, philanthropist, and politician. Georgetti, who came from a family of landowners, became one of Puerto Rico's wealthiest sugar barons and benefactors. In 1917, he be ...
, Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón and Antonio R. Barceló. De Diego was then elected to the House of Delegates, the only locally elected body of government allowed by the U.S.. De Diego presided the house from 1904 to 1917. The House of Delegates was subject to the U.S. President's veto power and voted for the island's right to independence and self-government and against the imposition of U.S. citizenship to Puerto Ricans, among other resolutions passed. None of these requests were honored by newly developing US hemispheric expansionism. In 1914, Barceló, Muñoz Rivera and de Diego were members of an executive council that attempted to form an alliance between the Union and Republican Parties. In 1917, after Luis Muñoz Rivera died, Barceló became the leading force behind the liberal ideas of the island. Barceló and De Diego were against the creation of the Jones-Shafroth Act which would impose United States
citizenship Citizenship is a "relationship between an individual and a state to which the individual owes allegiance and in turn is entitled to its protection". Each state determines the conditions under which it will recognize persons as its citizens, and ...
upon the citizens of Puerto Rico because the act represented an impediment to Puerto Rican independence as a final status solution and because the judicial and executive branches would still be controlled by the United States. The Jones-Shafroth Act, however was approved by the United States and signed into law by President
Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of ...
on March 2, 1917. The Union Party under Barceló's leadership then resolved to adopt a different stance and to seek more autonomy which he believed would finally lead to independence. This move prompted de Diego's, who was a strong independence advocate, to have great differences with the majority of his party members. De Diego became known as the "Father of the Puerto Rican Independence Movement". He was considered by Puerto Rican Socialist Party founder
Juan Marí Bras ''Juan'' is a given name, the Spanish and Manx versions of ''John''. It is very common in Spain and in other Spanish-speaking communities around the world and in the Philippines, and also (pronounced differently) in the Isle of Man. In Spanish, t ...
to be the bridge between the two "great ideological pillar for independence"
Ramón Emeterio Betances Ramón Emeterio Betances y Alacán (April 8, 1827 – September 16, 1898) was a Puerto Rican independence advocate and medical doctor. He was the primary instigator of the Grito de Lares revolution and is considered to be the father of the Pu ...
and Pedro Albizu Campus, in the 19th and 20th Centuries, respectively.


Later years

In 1892 he was married to Doña Petra de la Torre Berríos at the Catedral de San Felipe Apóstol, in her hometown of Arecibo. This marriage was later annulled by the Roman Catholic Church. On 10 November 1900 he married Goergina Blanes in Mayagüez, with whom he had three children. De Diego founded the " Colegio de Agricultura y Artes Mecánicas de Mayagüez" now known as "University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez".; he travelled throughout the Caribbean and Spain seeking the support from what he called "Los hermanos de la misma raza" (Brothers of the same race) for Puerto Rico's independence. After giving a speech in Barcelona in to such a request, he became known as the "Caballero de la Raza" (The Gentleman of the Race). José de Diego's left leg developed
gangrene Gangrene is a type of tissue death caused by a lack of blood supply. Symptoms may include a change in skin color to red or black, numbness, swelling, pain, skin breakdown, and coolness. The feet and hands are most commonly affected. If the gan ...
, due to him suffering from
filariasis Filariasis is a parasitic disease caused by an infection with roundworms of the Filarioidea type. These are spread by blood-feeding insects such as black flies and mosquitoes. They belong to the group of diseases called helminthiases. These ...
(round worms) and was amputated in 1916. He died in New York City on July 16, 1918 of endocarditis. His remains were returned to Puerto Rico and are buried in the "Cementerio Antiguo de San Juan" ( Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery), in San Juan, Puerto Rico.


Legacy

José de Diego's memory has been honored in Puerto Rico by having his birthdate observed as an official holiday as well as the naming of schools, avenues, and a highway after him. The plaza in his hometown of Aguadilla, the ''Plaza José de Diego'', is named in his honor plus there are schools in
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
,
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rock ...
,
Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
, and
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
,
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and ...
named after him.


Partial bibliography

* Pomarrosas. Barcelona: Imprenta de Henrich y Ca. en Comandita, 1904. * El caso de Puerto Rico y el Bill de tarifas. San Juan: Puerto Rico Progress Publishing, 1913. * Jovillos. Barcelona: Editorial Maucci, 1916. * Cantos de pitirre. Palma de Mallorca: Imprenta Mosen Alcóver, 1950. * Cantos de rebeldía. Barcelona: Editorial Maucci, 1916. * Obras Completas. Nuevas Campañas, el Plebiscito. San Juan de Puerto Rico: Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, * Obras Completas. Poesía. Vol. 2. San Juan: Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, 1973. * Antología Poética. Palma de Mallorca: Ripoll, 1977. * La obra literaria de José de Diego, San Juan: Margot Arce De Vázquez, Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, 1967


See also

* Edificio José de Diego * List of Puerto Ricans * List of Puerto Rican writers * Puerto Rican literature


References

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Further reading

* ''Jose de Diego el legislador, San Juan''; by: Dr. Delma S. Arrigoitia; Publisher: Instituto de Cultura Puertorriquena,1991; LCCN: 93114065; LC: F1978.D54 A77 1991


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Diego, Jose de 1866 births 1918 deaths Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico Burials at Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery Speakers of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico Puerto Rican poets Puerto Rican male writers Puerto Rican nationalists Puerto Rican people of Spanish descent People from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico University of Puerto Rico faculty Puerto Rican independence activists Deaths from endocarditis 19th-century American judges