Román Baldorioty de Castro
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Román Baldorioty de Castro (February 23, 1822 – September 30, 1889), born in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, distinguished himself as one of Puerto Rico's foremost abolitionists and spokesperson for the island's right to self-determination.
Baldorioty came from a poor family. He received his primary education in San Juan and was a student of the noted educator, Rafael Cordero. Baldorioty, was granted a scholarship which he used for his studies in Spain. He graduated with a degree in Physics and Mathematical Sciences from the Central University of Madrid. He also studied in Paris where he attended the Central School of Arts.
In 1853, he became a member of the Liberal Reformist Party of Puerto Rico. Besides politics, Baldorioty also loved teaching. He taught Botany and Maritime Sciences at the School of Commerce, Agriculture and Maritime Studies in San Juan.
In 1860, Baldorioty represented Puerto Rico as a delegate in the Spanish Parliament until 1865. He made the most of his position and voiced his views about the abolishment of slavery and the establishment of a constitution which would guarantee Puerto Ricans more political rights.
In 1870, he was named deputy to the Spanish Courts. There he continued to speak about his cause. Baldorioty became known as "The Father of Puerto Rican Autonomy". On November 19, 1872, Roman Baldorioty de Castro together with Luis Padial, Julio Vizcarrondo and the Spanish Minister of Overseas Affairs, Segismundo Moret, presented a proposal for the abolition of slavery. On March 22, 1873, the Spanish Government approved the proposal which became known as the Moret Law.
Baldorioty returned to Puerto Rico in 1873 and went to live in the City of Ponce. There he became the founder of the newspaper "El Derecho" (The Law). He also was the founder of a weekly paper called "La Crónica" in which he was able to express his ideas on autonomy for the island. In 1887, Baldorioty became the co-founder, along with José de Diego, and President of the "Autonomist Party of Puerto Rico. He named a young and upstarting politician, Antonio R. Barceló to the position of Secretary. This became one of Puerto Rico's first political parties. Its credo was that Puerto Rico should pick its own government and should have a representative in the Spanish Parliamnet. The Spanish government, however, considered Baldorioty a dangerous person and a dissenter and had him jailed in Fort San Felipe del Morro in San Juan. Although he wasn't in jail for long and was soon released, his health suffered greatly during his brief imprisonment and he died shortly thereafter.
Román Baldorioty de Castro died September 30, 1889 in the City of Ponce, Puerto Rico.
The Cities of Bayamón, Juana Díaz and San Germán have honored the memory of Baldorioty by naming plazas after him. There are schools and a highway also named after him in Puerto Rico.
