Salvador Brau

Salvador Brau y Asencio
Puerto Rican journalist, poet, writer, historian
Born	(1842-01-11)January 11, 1842 Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, Spain
Died	November 5, 1912(1912-11-05) (aged 70) San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States

Salvador Brau y Asencio (January 11, 1842 – November 5, 1912) was a Puerto Rican journalist, poet, writer. He was designated the official historian of Puerto Rico by the first American-appointed governor of the island.

Brau was born in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, into a well-to-do family. His father was Bartolomé Brau, a Catalan teacher of German descent and his mother was Luisa Asencio, a native of Venezuela. Brau received his primary and secondary education in private schools. Forced to work to care for his family after the death of his father about 1855, he began to teach himself. By the age of 16 he was composing various literary works, and with his friends started a theatrical society. He wished to continue his education in an institute of higher learning, and thus went to mainland Spain in 1861, where he attended the University of Barcelona, earning a degree in Letters. During his stay in the mother country, he came into contact with the autonomist movement of Puerto Rico and became involved. Eventually, Brau earned his Doctorate in Letters.

In 1870, Brau returned to Puerto Rico and became a journalist. He joined the Autonomist Party of Puerto Rico and became politically active, believing that Puerto Rico should be granted more powers by the Spanish Crown. He expressed his beliefs in his novels and plays, including one of his most acclaimed plays, "La Vuelta al Hogar" (Once on This Island).

In 1894, Brau was named Commissioner for the Provincial Deputation. He then moved back to Spain where he investigated the historical documents pertaining to Puerto Rico's past. These documents were stored and continue to be stored in the Indias Archives of Seville. In 1897, after three years of investigating the historical documents, Brau returned to Puerto Rico.

His findings in Seville included documents written by Fray Antonio de Montesinos, Fray Iñigo Abbad and others. He uncovered important information about how the Taínos lived and how they were treated harshly by the Spanish settlers. During his investigation he found an interesting reference to the Puerto Rican danza. According to a document written by Fray Iñgo Abad Lasierra, Bishop of Puerto Rico (1772–1778), there was a typical, fast and noisy shoe-stomping dance in the island which he called "Puerto Rican danza". Brau, however, claims that the authentic Puerto Rican danza was a popular creation that emerged in the 19th century.