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Jose de Diego (1866 – 1921), born in the City of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, was considered as one of the island's greatest speakers. he was also a poet and a fervent advocator for Puerto Rico's independence.
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Diego receieved his primary education in the City of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. He then moved to Spain where he graduated from the "Politecnical College of Logroño".
While in Spain, Diego colaborated with the newspaper "El Progreso" (Progress) which was founded by Jose Julian Acosta and which attacked the political situation in Puerto Rico. This led to various arrests and eventually he returned to his homeland.
In 1886, Diego had an unhappy love affair, with Carmen Echevarria, which led him to write one of his acclaimed poems "A Laura" (To Laura). This poem became very popular among the romantics of that time.
Together with Roman Baldorioty de Castro, Diego founded the "Autonomist Party" in 1887.
Diego returned to Spain and studied law in the City of Barcelona. He received his law degree and continued his studies until he graduated with a doctorate in law in 1892. He then returned back to Puerto Rico because of health problems.
Diego set up his law practice in the City of Arecibo and was the founder of the newspaper "La República" (The Republic). Along with Luis Muñoz Rivera and Matienzo Cintron, he formed a committee which ultimetly convinced the Spanish representative in the island "Praxedes Mateo Sagasto" to support the idea of autonomy for Puerto Rico. When Spain granted Puerto Rico its short lived autonomy, Diego served as the Secretary of Justice and of the Interior.
Jose de Diego's dream was to see the establishment of a Confederation of the Spanish-speaking islands in the Caribbean which would include the Dominican Republic and Cuba.
After the Spanish-American War when Puerto Rico was annexed by the United States, de Diego became active in the politics of what was to be called the "territory" of the U.S.. In 1904, he became the co-founder of the "Unionist Party" along with Luis Muñoz Rivera and Antonio R. Barcelo. As a member of the Unionist Party he became President of the House of Delegates from 1907 to 1917 and the Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1917 to 1918.
Jose de Diego is considered by many as one of Puerto Rico's greatest poets, journalists, speakers and politicians He is known as the "Father" of the "Modern Puerto Rican Poetry Movement" and of the Puerto Rican Independence Movement. Diego was honored by Spain by being knighted "Caballero de la Raza" (Knight of the Race).
Two of Diego's greatest poems are "A Laura" and "Postuma". Among his most noted poetry books are "Pomarrosas", "Jovillas"' "Cantos de Rebeldia" and " Cantos del Pitirre".
Jose de Diego right leg was amputated in 1916 due to a gangreneinfection. He died in New York City on July 17, 1921 while reciting one of his poems. His remains are buried in the "Cementerio Antiguo de San Juan" (Old San Juan Cementary), in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Jose de Diego's memory has been honored in Puerto Rico by naming schools, avenues and a highway after him. There is also a school in Brooklyn, New York, and Miami, Florida named after him.
Important works
- Obras Completas. Nuevas Campañas, el Plebiscito. San Juan de Puerto Rico: Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, 1973.
- Pomarrosas. Barcelona: Imprenta de Henrich y Ca. en Comnadita, 1904.
- Ripoll, Luis. Antología Poética. España: Palma de Mallorca, 1977.
See also
External links
- Jose de Diego - Library of Congress (http://www.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/1898/diego.html)