Rafael Quiñones Vidal (November 13, 1892 – March 7, 1988) was a

journalist A journalist is a person who gathers information in the form of text, audio or pictures, processes it into a newsworthy form and disseminates it to the public. This is called journalism. Roles Journalists can work in broadcast, print, advertis ...

and a radio and television Master of Ceremonies who was born in Mayagüez. He studied at the Lincoln School in

Caguas, Puerto Rico Caguas (, ) is a Caguas barrio-pueblo, city and Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality in central eastern Puerto Rico. Located in the eponymous Caguas Valley between the Sierra de Cayey and Sierra de Luquillo of the Cordillera Central (Puer ...

until eighth grade. He pursued a career as a graduate teacher, taking private lessons with Ana Roque de Duprey, in Humacao. For four years he worked as a rural teacher. He had an accounting school in Caguas. He obtained the title of Venerable Master of the

Masonic Lodge A Masonic lodge (also called Freemasons' lodge, or private lodge or constituent lodge) is the basic organisational unit of Freemasonry. It is also a commonly used term for a building where Freemasons meet and hold their meetings. Every new l ...

"Union and Amparo" of Caguas, and was named Doctor Honoris Causa in Humanities of the Catholic University of Ponce. He founded a chapter of the Masonic Lodge of the Order "Star of the East, Union and Faith". Quiñones Vidal is acknowledged as the first Puerto Rican communicator to promote young singers through his radio and television singing competition show called, ''Tribuna del Arte'' (The Art Rostrum). Well known singers and performers from Puerto Rico who started as artists in this show include

Yolandita Monge Yolanda Rosa Monge Betancourt (born September 16, 1955), known professionally as Yolandita Monge, is a Puerto Rican singer, actress, and television personality. She has been active in the music business since her teen years and has recorded 27 ...

Lucecita Benítez Luz Esther Benítez Rosado (born July 22, 1942), also known as Lucecita, is a Puerto Rican singer, part of the country's new wave popular music. Born in Bayamon, a large city in Puerto Rico, she participated in amateur radio shows. Benítez's m ...

and Carmen Delia Dipini. He died on March 7, 1988 in

San Juan, Puerto Rico San Juan ( , ; Spanish for "Saint John the Baptist, John") is the capital city and most populous Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality in the Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the ...

, at the age of 95.

References

1892 births 1988 deaths People from Mayagüez, Puerto Rico Television pioneers Puerto Rican television journalists 20th-century American philanthropists {{US-journalist-19thC-stub

See also

References