Dr. Margot Arce de Vázquez (March 10, 1904 – November 14, 1990) was a writer, essayist and educator who founded the Puerto Rican Academy of the Spanish Language.

Early years

Arce de Vázquez was born and raised in Caguas, Puerto Rico, where she received her primary and secondary education. In 1922, she graduated from that city's Central High School and following her graduation enrolled in the University of Puerto Rico in Río Piedras, San Juan.Por: Antonio Gil de La Madrid "Margot Arce de Vázquez, ensayista"
Puerto Rico Encyclopedia
/ref>Margot Arce de Vázquez "Memorial de Margot Arce de Vázquez"
As a university student she sympathized with the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party and became involved in the independence movement of the island. She was also the editor of the university's newspaper where she often expressed her views. After she majored and earned her bachelor's degree in mathematics and Spanish she went to Spain and enrolled in the Central University of Madrid. Among her educators were the essayist

Américo Castro Américo Castro y Quesada (May 4, 1885 – July 25, 1972) was a Spanish cultural historian, philologist, and literary critic who challenged some of the prevailing notions of Spanish identity, raising controversy with his conclusions that Spaniard ...

and the poet Dámaso Alonso. Their teachings influenced Arce de Vázquez for the rest of her life. In 1930, she earned her doctorate in philosophy and letters. Her thesis was about Garcilaso de la Vega, a work which she would publish later in her life.

Educator

When Arce de Vázquez returned to Puerto Rico, she was hired by her alma mater. She founded the Department of Hispanic Studies and was its director from 1943 to 1965. Among the distinguished Puerto Ricans she influenced were Luis de Arrigoitia, Mariano Feliciano, José Ferrer Canales and

Rosario Ferré Rosario Ferré Ramírez de Arellano (September 28, 1938 – February 18, 2016) was a Puerto Rican writer, poet, and essayist.

. In 1953, she helped organize and presided over the committee in charge of transferring the body of Puerto Rican poet Julia de Burgos from New York City to the island. In 1955, Arce de Vázquez founded the Puerto Rican Academy of the Spanish Language. During her spare time she wrote essays expressing her pro-independence views, which were published in many of the island's magazines and newspapers.

Author

Arce de Vázquez edited the works of Puerto Rican poet

Luis Palés Matos Luis Palés Matos (March 20, 1898 – February 23, 1959) was a Puerto Rican poet who is credited with creating the poetry genre known as Afro-Antillano. He is also credited with writing the screenplay for the "Romance Tropical", the first Puerto ...

. Two of her most important works were: ''Notas Puertorriqueñas'' (1950) (''Puerto Rican Notes'') and ''Gabriela Mistral, persona y poesía'' (1958) ('' Gabriela Mistral: The Poet and her Work''). These works were highly acclaimed and received awards from the Puerto Rican Institute of Literature.

Written works

* ''Literatura puertorriqueña'' * ''Obras Completas De Margot Arce De Vázquez'' * ''Gabriela Mistral: The Poet and Her Work'' * ''Lecturas Puertorriqueñas: Prosa'' (Puerto Rico: Realidad y Anhelo, Número 2), by Mariana Robles de Cardona, Margot Arce de Vázquez (Editor)

Final years

The Puerto Rican Academy of the Spanish Language bestowed upon Arce de Vázquez the title of "Profesora Emeritus" upon her retirement in 1970. Dr. Margot Arce de Vázquez died on November 14, 1990 in

Hato Rey, Puerto Rico Hato Rey is a former barrio located in the northwest part of the dissolved municipality of Río Piedras. It now stretches over three barrios, of the municipality of San Juan, Puerto Rico: Urban landscape Its name means "king's cattle farm" ( ...

from

Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegeneration, neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and progressively worsens. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in short-term me ...

. She was buried at the Puerto Rico Memorial Cemetery in Carolina, Puerto Rico.

In memory

In 1996, the Río Piedras

Rotary Club Rotary International is one of the largest service organizations in the world. Its stated mission is to "provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through hefellowship of business, profe ...

dedicated the 50th anniversary issue of their magazine ''Asomante'' to the memory of Arce de Vázquez and to Nilita Vientos Gastón. Also in 1996, the Central University of Bayamón honored her memory by renaming their library after her.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Arce De Vazquez, Margot 1904 births 1990 deaths Deaths from Alzheimer's disease Neurological disease deaths in Puerto Rico People from Caguas, Puerto Rico Puerto Rican educators Puerto Rican non-fiction writers Latin Americanists Members of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party Puerto Rican activists Puerto Rican independence activists Puerto Rican nationalists