Román Baldorioty de Castro
| Román Baldorioty de Castro | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
February 23, 1822 Guaynabo, Puerto Rico |
| Died | September 30, 1889 (aged 67) Ponce, Puerto Rico |
| Occupation | Professor, Political activist |
Román Baldorioty de Castro (February 23, 1822 – September 30, 1889) is noted as one of Puerto Rico's foremost abolitionists and spokesman for the island's right to self-determination. He received his primary and secondary education in San Juan. He received a scholarship and moved to Spain, where he continued his studies at the University of Madrid. In 1853, he returned to Puerto Rico and began working as a professor at the island's School of Commerce and the Seminario Concilar. Baldorioty de Castro was selected to represent Puerto Rico at the 1867 Universal Fair, which was organized in Paris, France.
In 1870, he was elected as a deputy in the Cortes Generales, the Spanish parliament, where he promoted abolition of slavery. Baldorioty de Castro founded the Partido Autonomista in 1887, but he was only able to work within it for a few months. He was tried and imprisoned in Fort San Felipe del Morro, after being accused of publishing propaganda that affected the Spanish government's image. He was released after a brief period in jail, but his time in prison affected his health, which contributed to his death on September 30, 1889.
Baldorioty de Castro was born in Guaynabo to a poor family. His family moved to San Juan when he was young, where he received his primary education as a student of the noted educator, Rafael Cordero. After completing his elementary education, he enrolled in El Seminario Conciliar de Idelfonso, which at that time was the most organized institution in Puerto Rico. He spent most of his adolescent years studying, and finished with one of the best averages in his class.
Baldorioty de Castro was granted a scholarship, which he used for further study in Spain. He collected the money necessary to travel and departed to Spain in the company of three fellow Puerto Ricans, two students and a professor. Before establishing a permanent residence in Madrid, the group traveled to several Spanish provinces, where they visited some of the country's tourist sites. Among the places visited were locations in Cordoba, Seville, Andújar and Bailén where they met Alberto Lista, an educator from Spain.
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