Famous People From Puerto Rico
- Roselyn Sánchez is a multitalented Puerto Rican artist. She was born on April 2, 1973 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. From a young age, she demonstrated her passion for the arts through dancing and acting. Her initial fame arose from her crowning as Miss Puerto Rico Petite in 1993 and Miss American Petite in 1994, paving the way for her future journey in show business. Sánchez's acting career soared to prominence in the late 1990s with key roles in acclaimed films and television series. She played pivotal characters in movies like Rush Hour 2 and The Game Plan, cementing her status as a versatile actress. On television, she is best known for her performance in the hit series Without a Trace for which she received several award nominations. Her portrayal of Carmen Luna in the popular show Devious Maids further highlighted her talent and versatility. Apart from acting, Sánchez is also recognized for her singing prowess. She launched her music career in 2003 with the release of her debut album Borinqueña. The album was well-received and spawned the hit single "Amor Amor". A testament to her multifaceted persona, Sánchez has also dabbled in writing, co-authoring the children's book Sebi and the Land of Cha Cha Cha.
- Birthplace: San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Jorge Luis Flores Sanchez (born February 22, 1974), better known as Nina Flowers, is a Puerto Rican drag queen, DJ, activist, professional make-up artist, and reality television personality who has been performing since 1993.
- Birthplace: Bayamón, United States, with Territories
- Iván Rodríguez Torres (born November 27, 1971), nicknamed "Pudge", is a former Major League Baseball catcher. He played for the Texas Rangers (on two different tours, comprising the majority of his career), Florida Marlins, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Houston Astros and Washington Nationals. Rodríguez was awarded the AL MVP award in 1999. He is widely regarded as one of the best defensive catchers of all time. Rodríguez won the World Series with the Florida Marlins in 2003, and also played in the 2006 World Series while with the Tigers. He is the major league career leader in putouts by catchers. On June 17, 2009, Rodríguez set an MLB record by catching his 2,227th game, passing Carlton Fisk (coincidentally also known by the nickname "Pudge"). During his career, he had the best caught stealing percentage of any major league catcher, at 45.68%.On January 18, 2017, he was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown in his first year of eligibility, receiving 76% of the votes cast, and was officially inducted on July 30, 2017.
- Birthplace: Manatí, United States, with Territories
- José David Sierra, better known as Jessica Wild, is a Puerto Rican drag queen, professional make-up artist, and reality television personality.
- Birthplace: San Juan, United States, with Territories
- Carlos Chester Beltrán (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈkaɾloz βelˈtɾan]; born April 24, 1977) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1998 to 2017 for the Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, and Texas Rangers. A right-handed thrower and switch hitter, Beltrán stands 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall and weighs 215 pounds (98 kg). Beltrán was the American League (AL) Rookie of the Year in 1999 while with the Royals. He was named to nine MLB All-Star Games, and won three Gold Glove Awards and two Silver Slugger Awards. Beltrán was the fifth player to reach both 400 home runs and 300 stolen bases and just the fourth switch hitter with 400 home runs. He has the highest success rate in stealing bases (88.3%) of any major league player with 300 or more career attempts. He is also a member of the 30–30 club, as he has hit 30 home runs and stolen 30 bases in the same season. Beltrán retired after the 2017 season, winning a World Series title with the Houston Astros. Beltrán is among the best all-time statistical hitters in postseason games, which has earned him nicknames such as "the new Mr. October", "Mr. October, Jr.", "Señor Octubre", and "the real Mr. October" from the media. He broke the 1.000 OPS mark in four different playoff series. Beltrán also had a 100% stolen base percentage (11-for-11) during the playoffs, which are the most stolen bases without being caught.
- Birthplace: Manatí, Puerto Rico
Manuel Ramos Otero
Dec. at 42 (1948-1990)Manuel Ramos Otero (July 20, 1948 – October 7, 1990) was a Puerto Rican writer. He is widely considered to be the most important openly gay twentieth-century Puerto Rican writer who wrote in Spanish, and his work was often controversial due to its sexual and political content. Ramos Otero died in San Juan, Puerto Rico, due to complications from AIDS.- Birthplace: Manatí, Puerto Rico
- Luis Guillermo Fortuño Burset (born 31 October 1960) is a Puerto Rican politician who served governor of Puerto Rico, a territory of the United States of America, and as president of the New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico (PNP) until 2013, served as president of the Council of State Governments during 2012 and served as president of the Southern Governors Association from 2011 to 2012. On 26 June 2011 he announced his plans to run for reelection. He was defeated in the 2012 elections by Alejandro Garcia Padilla.In the 1990s, Fortuño served as the first secretary of economic development and commerce (1994–1997), as the executive director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company (1993–1994), and as the president of the Puerto Rico Hotel Development Corporation during the administration of Pedro Rosselló. In 2003 Fortuño won the 2004 PNP nomination for resident commissioner of Puerto Rico in primaries against former governor Carlos Romero Barceló, former Senate president Charlie Rodriguez and then-senator Miriam Ramírez de Ferrer. He was then elected resident commissioner in 2004, defeating Senator Roberto Prats. Fortuño represented Puerto Rico from 2005 to 2009 in the United States House of Representatives, and served as Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Conference, a Member of the newly created United States House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Insular Affairs and co-chair, with Representative Xavier Becerra (D-CA), of the Friends of Spain Caucus. Fortuño later won the PNP gubernatorial nomination by a wide margin after defeating former governor and then-senator Pedro Rosselló in the primaries. He then won the general election for governor by a comfortable margin during the 2008 elections, defeating incumbent governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá.
- Birthplace: San Juan, United States, with Territories
- Jaslene González (born May 29, 1986) is a Puerto Rican model, television host, and winner of Cycle 8 of America's Next Top Model.
- Birthplace: Puerto Rico
- Michael Averett Lowell (born February 24, 1974) is an American former Major League Baseball third baseman. During a 13-year career, Lowell played for the New York Yankees (1998), Florida Marlins (1999–2005), and the Boston Red Sox (2006–2010). With the Red Sox, he was named MVP of the 2007 World Series for batting .400 with 1 HR, 4 RBI, 6 runs scored and a stolen base in a four-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies.
- Birthplace: San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Holly Woodlawn was born in Puerto Rico and immigrated to Miami as a child. Once in New York, she had to survive, for a time, hustling for money, and eventually found her way to Andy Warhol's Factory where she acted in a couple of Warhol-produced films, "Trash" (1970), and "Women In Revolt" (1971). In 1972, her journey from Miami to New York City was immortalized in the first lines of Lou Reed's revolutionary 1972 single "Walk on the Wild Side." Woodlawn found fame to be fleeting, and by 1979, she had moved back with her parents in Miami. Her career experienced a comeback of sorts beginning in the 1990's when she made a number of onscreen appearances, including "Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss" (1998) and "Twin Falls Idaho" (1999). In 2014, she played a supporting role on the critically acclaimed "Transparent" (Amazon, 2014-). Diagnosed with cancer, Woodlawn died in Los Angeles on December 6, 2015.
- Birthplace: Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico
- Ramón Emeterio Betances y Alacán (April 8, 1827 – September 16, 1898) was a Puerto Rican independence advocate and Medical doctor. He was the primary instigator of the Grito de Lares revolution and is considered to be the father of the Puerto Rican independence movement. Since the Grito galvanized a burgeoning nationalist movement among Puerto Ricans, Betances is also considered "El Padre de la Patria" (Father of the [Puerto Rican] Nation). Because of his charitable deeds for people in need, he also became known as "El Padre de los Pobres" ("The Father of the Poor"). Betances was also a medical doctor and surgeon in Puerto Rico, and one of its first social hygienists. He had established a successful surgery and ophthalmology practice. Betances was also an abolitionist, diplomat, public health administrator, poet, and novelist. He served as representative and contact for Cuba and the Dominican Republic in Paris, France. An adherent of Freemasonry, his political and social activism was deeply influenced by the group's philosophical beliefs.
- Birthplace: Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico
- Roberto Cofresí y Ramírez de Arellano (June 17, 1791 – March 29, 1825), better known as El Pirata Cofresí, was a pirate from Puerto Rico. Despite his birth into a noble family, the political and economic difficulties faced by the island as a colony of the Spanish Empire during the late 18th and early 19th centuries meant that his household was poor. Cofresí worked at sea from an early age; although this familiarized him with the region's geography, it provided only a modest salary. He eventually decided to abandon a sailor's life, becoming a pirate. Despite previous links to land-based criminal activities, the reason for Cofresí's change of vocation is unknown; historians speculate that he may have worked as a privateer aboard El Scipión, a ship owned by one of his cousins. At the height of his career, he evaded capture by vessels from Spain, Gran Colombia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Denmark, France, and the United States. Cofresí commanded several small-draft vessels, the best known a fast six-gun sloop named Anne, and demonstrated a preference for speed and maneuverability over firepower. He manned them with small, rotating crews, which most contemporary documents and accounts numbered at 10 to 20 in size. Cofresí preferred to outrun his pursuers but his flotilla engaged the West Indies Squadron twice, attacking the schooners USS Grampus and USS Beagle. Although most crew members were recruited locally, men from the other Antilles, Central America and expatriate Europeans occasionally joined the pirates. Despite never confessing to a murder, he reportedly boasted about his crimes; the number of people who died as a result of his pillaging ranged from 300 to 400, mostly foreigners. Cofresí proved too much for local authorities who, unable to contain him themselves, accepted international help to capture the pirate; Spain created an alliance with the West Indies Squadron and the Danish government of Saint Thomas. On March 5, 1825, the alliance set a trap which forced Anne into a naval battle. After 45 minutes, Cofresí abandoned his ship and escaped overland; he was recognized by a local resident, who ambushed and injured him. Cofresí was captured and imprisoned, making a last unsuccessful attempt to escape by trying to bribe an official with part of a hidden stash. The pirates were sent to San Juan, Puerto Rico, where a brief military tribunal found them guilty and sentenced them to death. On March 29, 1825, Cofresí and most of his crew were executed by firing squad. The pirate inspired stories and myths after his death, most emphasizing a Robin Hood-like "steal from the rich, give to the poor" philosophy which became associated with him. In poetry and oral tradition this portrayal has evolved into legend, commonly accepted as fact in Puerto Rico and throughout the West Indies. A subset of these claims that Cofresí became part of the Puerto Rican independence movement and other secessionist initiatives, including Simón Bolívar's campaign against Spain. Historic and mythical accounts of his life have inspired songs, poems, plays, books and films. In Puerto Rico caves, beaches and other alleged hideouts or locations of buried treasure have been named after Cofresí, and a resort town near Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic is named for him.
- Birthplace: Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico
- Beatriz "Gigi" Fernández (born February 22, 1964) is a United States former professional tennis player. She turned professional in 1983 and is the first Puerto-Rican to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.Fernández won 17 Grand Slam doubles titles and two Olympic gold medals representing the United States, and reached the world No. 1 ranking in women's doubles. She reached a career-high singles ranking of 17 in 1991. Since retiring from the professional tour in 1997 at the age of 33, Fernández has been a tennis coach and entrepreneur. She now shares her knowledge of doubles with tennis enthusiasts throughout the US by conducting Master Doubles with Gigi Clinics and Doubles Boot Camps.
- Birthplace: San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Dreuxilla Divine (born Nelson Roldán, January 12, 1974, in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico) is a Puerto Rican drag queen character on television. Divine has gained major popularity as a drag performer both in Puerto Rico and eastern United States cities such as New York and Miami. She is also a comedian, a pageant host and a fashion critic. Divine has been featured in various television related articles and covers of several show-biz magazines, such as: Vea, Teve Guía, Colony Magazine, and recently in a centerfold of daily newspaper Primera Hora. Until recently, Dreuxilla was the host of a daily television variety show, opposite Puerto Rican journalist Milly Cangiano, titled: "Sacando Chispas" (Extracting Sparks), created by Puerto Rican television producer Luisito Vigoreaux and broadcast by Televicentro in Puerto Rico and cable network WAPA America located in Springfield, Massachusetts throughout the United States. It was broadcast live in the afternoon, and repeated on tape, late night. It has been acknowledged by television audiences nationwide and internationally. As of December 31, 2008, Dreuxilla was unemployed. However, Divine is known to often make appearances in TV shows and interviews, as well as being the occasional host of parties, awards, and the like. From July 12–15, 2007, Dreuxilla was one of the star MC's of the yearly event Las Fiestas de la Bahía, (The Bay Parties) in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. The identity of the male comedian that embodies Dreuxilla Divine is still a very well kept secret. As of 2013, she co-hosts the popular television show Pegate al Medio Dia.
- Birthplace: Río Piedras, Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico
- Johnatan Dwayne (born July 31, 1963) is a musician, composer, and artist who introduced the musical concept of art rock into Puerto Rico.
- Birthplace: San Juan, United States, with Territories
- Elmer Figueroa Arce (born June 28, 1968), better known under the stage name Chayanne, is a Puerto Rican Latin pop singer and actor. As a solo artist, Chayanne has released 21 solo albums and sold over 15 million albums worldwide.
- Birthplace: Río Piedras, Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico
Carlos Romero Barceló
Age: 92Carlos Antonio Romero Barceló (born September 4, 1932) is a Puerto Rican politician who served as Governor of Puerto Rico, the second governor to be elected from the New Progressive Party (PNP) and also Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico from 1993 to 2001. Romero Barceló is the grandson of Antonio R. Barceló, a former Union Party leader and advocate of Puerto Rican independence during the early 20th century and the son of Josefina Barceló, the first woman to preside over a major political party in Puerto Rico.- Birthplace: San Juan, United States, with Territories
- Luis Guzmán is a renowned Puerto Rican actor. Born in Cayey, Puerto Rico, on August 28, 1956, he grew up in Manhattan's East Harlem where he developed an early interest in acting. After graduating from City College of New York, Guzmán embarked on a career as a social worker, but the lure of the stage proved too strong to resist. His professional acting career started in the late 1970s when he began performing in street theater and independent films. Guzmán's breakthrough came in the 1980s when he landed a role in the crime drama Miami Vice. His portrayal of diverse characters in various genres established him as a versatile actor. His distinctive look and raw talent caught the attention of renowned directors like Steven Soderbergh and Paul Thomas Anderson. He collaborated with them on several critically acclaimed films such as Out of Sight, The Limey, Boogie Nights, and Magnolia. Guzmán's performances in these films garnered him significant recognition, establishing him as a mainstay in the world of cinema. Despite his success in film, Guzmán never strayed far from his roots in television. He has appeared in numerous TV shows including Oz, How to Make It in America, and Narcos. His performance in the medical drama Code Black was highly praised and further cemented his status as a versatile actor capable of handling both comedic and dramatic roles. Regardless of the medium, Guzmán's presence on screen is always compelling, bringing depth and authenticity to every character he portrays. His journey from a social worker in East Harlem to a celebrated figure in Hollywood serves as an inspiration for many aspiring actors.
- Birthplace: Cayey, Puerto Rico
Julia de Burgos
Dec. at 39 (1914-1953)Julia de Burgos (February 17, 1914 – July 6, 1953) was a Puerto Rican poet. As an advocate of Puerto Rican independence, she served as Secretary General of the Daughters of Freedom, the women's branch of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party. She was also a civil rights activist for women and African/Afro-Caribbean writers.- Birthplace: Carolina, Puerto Rico
- Dayanara Torres Delgado (born October 28, 1974) is a Puerto Rican actress, singer, model, writer and beauty queen who won Miss Universe 1993. Torres was discovered at age 17 while walking through the Plaza de Toa Alta in her hometown, and was invited to represent Villalba in the annual Miss Puerto Rico pageant. She won the pageant and the right to represent Puerto Rico in the 1993 Miss Universe pageant. In 1992, she participated in the Miss International pageant and became a semi-finalist. The same year, she earned second place at the Queen of the World contest. Torres won the crown in the Miss Universe pageant held in Mexico in May 1993. Torres' victory in the pageant caused some controversy because of the claim that she was still a minor; however, Torres had turned 18 several months before the contest. Her victory also raised some eyebrows, as she did not top any of the pageant's segments. When Torres returned home to Puerto Rico, she was received with a parade. During and after her reign as Miss Universe, she became an ambassador for UNICEF, traveling through Asia and Latin America in support of the organization. She created the Dayanara Torres Foundation which has provided scholarships to poor students in Puerto Rico and the Philippines. In 1994, she went to Manila to crown the new Miss Universe and during the ceremony, she sang "A Whole New World" as a duet with Peabo Bryson.
- Birthplace: San Juan, United States, with Territories
Tamara Sky
Age: 39Tamara Sky (born February 20, 1985 in San Juan, Puerto Rico) is a Puerto Rican professional disc jockey and model.- Birthplace: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Iván DeJesús, Jr.
Age: 37Iván De Jesús Álvarez Jr. (born May 1, 1987) is a Puerto Rican professional baseball infielder in the Minnesota Twins organization. Born in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, he went to high school at American Military Academy of Guaynabo and was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers' in the 2005 Major League Baseball draft. DeJesus Jr. is the son of former major leaguer Iván DeJesús and a former major league batboy.His Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the Dodgers occurred early in the 2011 Major League Baseball season. He has since split time between the Major Leagues and various Triple-A affiliates, earning Triple-A All-Star recognition in 2014. He has also played in MLB for the Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds.- Birthplace: Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
Giannina Braschi
Age: 71Giannina Braschi (born February 5, 1953) is a Puerto Rican writer based in New York City. She is considered an influential and revolutionary voice in contemporary Latin American literature. She writes experimental literature, mixing elements of poetry, theater, essay, musical, and manifesto. Braschi is known for having penned the first Spanglish novel Yo-Yo Boing! (1998), the post-modern poetry trilogy Empire of Dreams (1994), and the cross-genre novel of philosophical fiction, United States of Banana (2011). Her collective work explores the lives of Latin American immigrants in the United States.- Birthplace: San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Benito Santiago Rivera (born March 9, 1965), is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball catcher, who played for twenty seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Although he played for ten different teams, perhaps his greatest success came with his first team, the San Diego Padres. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Santiago was considered the premier catcher in the National League (NL).
- Birthplace: Ponce, Puerto Rico
Edgardo Rivera
Age: 46Edgardo Rivera is a former contestant on the reality television show Survivor: Fiji.- Birthplace: San Juan, United States, with Territories
Nemir Matos-Cintrón
Age: 76Nemir Matos-Cintrón is a Puerto Rican author who resides in Florida. She has published several books of poetry and parts of a novel. She has openly thematized her lesbianism in much of her work.- Birthplace: Santurce, Puerto Rico
- Carlos Juan Delgado Hernández (born June 25, 1972) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball player. He holds the all-time Major League Baseball home run record among Puerto Rican players, with 473. He is one of only six players in Major League history to hit 30 home runs in ten consecutive seasons, becoming the fourth player to do so. During his twelve years with the Toronto Blue Jays, Delgado set many team records, including home runs (336), RBI (1,058), walks (827), slugging percentage (.556), OPS (.949), runs (889), total bases (2,786), doubles (343), runs created (1,077), extra base hits (690), times on base (2,362), hit by pitch (122), intentional walks (128) and at bats per home run (14.9). Delgado also played for the Florida Marlins and New York Mets. On February 4, 2015, Delgado was elected to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.
- Birthplace: Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
Yolanda Arroyo Pizarro
Age: 54Yolanda Arroyo Pizarro (born October 29, 1970) is an award-winning Puerto Rican novelist, short story writer and essayist.- Birthplace: Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
- Don Luis Alberto Ferré Aguayo (February 17, 1904 – October 20, 2003) was a Puerto Rican engineer, industrialist, politician, philanthropist, and a patron of the arts. He was Governor of Puerto Rico, serving from 1969 to 1973. He was the founding father of the New Progressive Party, which advocates for Puerto Rico to become a state of the United States of America. He is a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
- Birthplace: Ponce, Puerto Rico
Luz María Umpierre
Age: 78Luz María "Luzma" Umpierre-Herrera (born 1947 in Santurce, Puerto Rico) is an American human rights advocate, New-Humanist educator, poet, and scholar. Umpierre-Herrera works on the topics of activism and social equality, the immigrant experience and bilingualism in the United States, and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) issues. To date, she has published ten books of poetry, had her poems published in over 26 different anthologies, and has over 50 essays published in academic journals.- Birthplace: Santurce, Puerto Rico
Rafael Cancel Miranda
Age: 94Rafael Cancel Miranda (born July 18, 1930) is a political activist, member of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party and an advocate of Puerto Rican independence. On March 1, 1954, Miranda together with fellow Nationalists Lolita Lebrón, Andrés Figueroa Cordero, and Irvin Flores Rodríguez entered the United States Capitol building armed with automatic pistols and fired 30 shots. Five congressmen were hit, however all the representatives survived and Cancel Miranda, along with the other three members of his group were immediately arrested. Cancel Miranda was the only Nationalist out of the four to have been jailed in Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, a Federal Bureau of Prisons federal prison.- Birthplace: Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
Oscar López Rivera
Age: 82Oscar López Rivera (born January 6, 1943) is a Puerto Rican activist and militant who was a member and suspected leader of the Fuerzas Armadas de Liberación Nacional Puertorriqueña (FALN), a clandestine paramilitary organization devoted to Puerto Rican independence that carried out more than 130 bomb attacks in the United States between 1974 and 1983. López Rivera was tried by the United States government for seditious conspiracy, use of force to commit robbery, interstate transportation of firearms, and conspiracy to transport explosives with intent to destroy government property. López Rivera declared himself a prisoner of war and refused to take part in most of his trial. He maintained that according to international law he was an anticolonial combatant and could not be prosecuted by the United States government. On August 11, 1981, López Rivera was convicted and sentenced to 55 years in federal prison. On February 26, 1988, he was sentenced to an additional 15 years in prison for conspiring to escape from the Leavenworth prison. López Rivera was not directly linked to any specific bombings. Many considered him to be the world's longest-held political prisoner, with a number of political and religious groups calling for his release. U.S. President Bill Clinton offered him and 13 other convicted FALN members conditional clemency in 1999; López Rivera rejected the offer on the grounds that not all incarcerated FALN members received pardons. In January 2017, President Barack Obama commuted López Rivera's sentence; he was released in May 2017, having served 36 years in prison, longer than any other member of the FALN.- Birthplace: San Sebastián, Puerto Rico
- This article is about the Puerto Rican critic and editor. For the senator, see José Emilio González Velázquez.Josemilio González (1918–1990) was a Puerto Rican literary critic and editor. He Went to the University of Puerto Rico, where he graduated in Liberal Arts, with specializations in Spanish, French and Philosophy. in 1940, Earned his Master's Degree in Arts at Boston University, Columbia University, Princeton University, and the Sorbonne.He was an instructor at the University of Puerto Rico from 1946 to 1948 and 1956 to 1963. He served in the legislature for the Puerto Rican Independence Party in 1952.
- Birthplace: Gurabo, Puerto Rico
- Inés María Mendoza Rivera de Muñoz Marín (January 10, 1908 in Naguabo, Puerto Rico – August 13, 1990 in San Juan), was a former First Lady of Puerto Rico, teacher, writer and socialite. She was the second wife of Governor Luis Muñoz Marín. Inés Mendoza stood by the Spanish language, defying the new colonial authorities that wanted to replace it with English.
- Birthplace: Nagüabo, United States, with Territories
- Omar Alfredo Rodríguez-López (born September 1, 1975) is an American guitarist, songwriter, producer and filmmaker. He is known for being the guitarist and band-leader of The Mars Volta from 2001 until their breakup in 2012, and is the guitarist for the alternative rock groups At the Drive-In, Antemasque and Bosnian Rainbows. He was also the bassist for the dub band De Facto. He has embarked on a solo career, both in studio and in concert, frequently described as experimental, avant-garde and/or progressive. He has collaborated with numerous artists spanning from John Frusciante to El-P.
- Birthplace: Bayamón, United States, with Territories
- Dr. Agustín Stahl (January 21, 1842 – July 12, 1917) was a Puerto Rican medical doctor and scientist with diverse interests in the fields of ethnology, botany, and zoology. He advocated Puerto Rico's independence from Spain.
- Birthplace: Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
- Lulu Delacre (born December 20, 1957 in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico) is the author/illustrator of many award winning children's books. Some of her most famous works include Arroz con leche: Popular Songs and Rhymes from Latin America, Vejigante Masquerader, and The Bossy Gallito. Delacre's writes books that celebrate her Latino heritage and promote cultural diversity.
- Birthplace: Río Piedras, Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico
- William "Willie" Miranda Marín (September 23, 1940 – June 4, 2010) was the mayor of Caguas, Puerto Rico from 1997 until his death in 2010.
- Birthplace: Caguas, United States, with Territories
- Beloved child actor Armando Riesco started his entertainment career at the tender age of 13. Riesco began his acting career in film, appearing in such titles as the Edward Norton dramatic adaptation "25th Hour" (2002), the dramedy "Pieces of April" (2003) with Katie Holmes and the Natalie Portman dramatic comedy "Garden State" (2004). He also appeared in the Nicolas Cage blockbuster action film "National Treasure" (2004) and the Drew Barrymore romantic comedy "Fever Pitch" (2005). Riesco worked in television around the start of his acting career with a role on "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (2001-2011). He continued to act in productions like "World Trade Center" (2006) with Nicolas Cage, the Christian Bale drama "Harsh Times" (2006) and the Nicolas Cage blockbuster action picture "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" (2007). In the 2010s, Riesco lent his talents to projects like "Brooklyn's Finest" (2010) starring Richard Gere, "The Sitter" (2011) starring Jonah Hill and "Young Adult" (2011) starring Charlize Theron. His credits also expanded to "All is Bright" with Paul Giamatti (2013) and "Disconnect" with Jason Bateman (2013). Riesco most recently acted in the comedic drama "Adult World" (2014) with Emma Roberts.
- Birthplace: Mayaguez, Puerto Rico
- Pedro Rafael Pierluisi Urrutia (born April 26, 1959) is a Puerto Rican attorney, lobbyist, and politician who served as de facto governor of Puerto Rico from August 2 to August 7, 2019, when the territory's Supreme Court ruled his assumption of office was unconstitutional.He served as the Secretary of Justice of Puerto Rico in the 1990s, as well as served as the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico in 2009–2017 in the Congress. Before serving in Congress, Pierluisi worked in the private and public sectors as a lobbyist. Pierluisi, a member of New Progressive and the national Democratic Party was appointed the acting Secretary of State of Puerto Rico in July 2019, and assumed the office of governor on August 2, 2019 upon the resignation of Ricardo Rosselló. Pierluisi stated that if the Senate of Puerto Rico didn't confirm or validate his position as former Secretary of State, he would resign the governorship. However, he subsequently walked back that statement. On August 5, 2019, the Puerto Rico Senate filed a lawsuit against his appointment as governor. Two days later, the Puerto Rico Supreme Court ruled that Pierluisi was sworn in on unconstitutional grounds and removed him from office, effective 5 p.m. AST on August 7, to be replaced by Wanda Vázquez Garced, the Secretary of Justice.
- Birthplace: San Juan, United States, with Territories
- Admiral Horacio Rivero Jr. (May 16, 1910 – September 24, 2000), was the first Puerto Rican and Hispanic four-star admiral, and the second Hispanic to hold that rank in the modern United States Navy, after the American Civil War Admiral David Glasgow Farragut (1801–1870). After retiring from the Navy, Rivero served as the U.S. Ambassador to Spain (1972–1974), and was also the first Hispanic to hold that position.
- Birthplace: Ponce, Puerto Rico
- Félix Juan Trinidad García (born January 10, 1973), popularly known as "Tito" Trinidad, is a Puerto Rican former professional boxer who competed from 1990 to 2008. He held multiple world championships in three weight classes, and is considered one of the best boxers in Puerto Rico's history.After winning five national amateur championships in Puerto Rico, Trinidad debuted as a professional when he was seventeen, and won his first world championship by defeating Maurice Blocker to win the IBF welterweight title in 1993. He currently holds the record for the second most welterweight title defenses (15), as well as the record for longest reign as welterweight champion, at 6 years, 8 months and 14 days. As his career continued, he defeated Oscar De La Hoya to win the WBC and lineal welterweight titles in 1999; Fernando Vargas to win the unified WBA and IBF light middleweight titles in 2000; and William Joppy to win the WBA middleweight title in 2001. Trinidad's first professional loss was against Bernard Hopkins later in 2001, and following this he retired from boxing for the first time. Trinidad made his ring return by defeating Ricardo Mayorga in 2004 and, after a losing effort against Winky Wright in 2005, retired for a second time. In 2008 he returned once more and lost to Roy Jones Jr. Subsequently, Trinidad entered a hiatus without clarifying the status of his career. Trinidad is frequently mentioned among the best Puerto Rican boxers of all time by sports journalists and analysts, along with Juan Laporte, Esteban De Jesús, Wilfredo Vázquez, Miguel Cotto, Wilfred Benítez, Wilfredo Gómez, Héctor Camacho, and Carlos Ortíz. In 2000, Trinidad was voted Fighter of the Year by The Ring magazine and the Boxing Writers Association of America. He is ranked number 30 on The Ring's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time and in 2002 named him the 51st greatest fighter of the past 80 years. In 2014 Trinidad was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, thus becoming the tenth Puerto Rican to receive such an honor.
- Birthplace: Fajardo
- Wilfredo Gómez Rivera (Spanish pronunciation: [wilˈfɾeðo ˈɣomes]; born October 29, 1956), sometimes referred to as Bazooka Gómez, is a Puerto Rican former professional boxer and three-time world champion. He is frequently mentioned among the best Puerto Rican boxers of all time by sports journalists and analysts, along with Félix Trinidad, Miguel Cotto, Wilfred Benítez, Esteban De Jesús, Edwin Rosario, and Carlos Ortíz.His seventeen consecutive knockouts in championship defenses is a record for all boxing divisions. He was ranked number 13 on The Ring magazine's list of the "100 greatest punchers of all time". In 1995, Gómez was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
- Birthplace: San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Samuel Serrano (born November 17, 1952), nicknamed Sammy and El Torbellino (The Whirlwind), is a Puerto Rican who won boxing's world junior lightweight championship twice. According to Serrano during a 2017 interview with El Nuevo Dia newspaper, he learned to box starting at age 5 when he lived at Palmarejos barrio in Corozal.
- Birthplace: Puerto Rico
- Actor Bruce Gray has worked extensively in television, feature films, and on the stage. A natural ability to thrive among dramatic ensembles prompted Gray to make his first foray into television as a dependable player on such sudsy daytime melodramas as "All My Children," "The Edge of Night," and "The Young and the Restless" throughout the 1980s. The following decade, the stately yet versatile performer went from soap operas to space operas (and otherwise hard sci-fi) as all manner of otherworldly citizens and high-ranking officials, appearing on such mythology-driven cult hits as "Babylon 5," "Star Trek: The Next Generation," "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," and "Stargate SG-1." Gray may be a familiar face thanks to his many guest appearances on both daytime and prime-time TV, but Canadian audiences probably know him best from his long-running stint on the popular serial drama "Traders," a show about the ups and downs that go on within the fast-paced environment of an investment bank. He made a splash in American pop cinema with a rare big-screen role as the father of the groom in the 2002 comedic sleeper blockbuster "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." Gray has continued to widely alternate between lofty types and sensible patriarchs with recurring roles on series such as the Showtime's "Queer as Folk" and the psychic/mystery drama "Medium."
- Birthplace: San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Héctor Juan Pérez Martínez (30 September 1946 – 29 June 1993), better known as Héctor Lavoe, was a Puerto Rican salsa singer. Lavoe is considered to be possibly the best and most important singer and interpreter in the history of salsa music because he helped to establish the popularity of this musical genre in the decades of 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. His personality, style and the qualities of his voice led him to a successful artistic career in the whole field of Latin music and salsa during the 1970s and 1980s. The cleanness and brightness of his voice, coupled with impeccable diction and the ability to sing long and fast phrases with total naturalness, made him one of the favorite singers of the Latin public.Lavoe was born and raised in the Machuelo Abajo barrio of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Early in his life, he attended Escuela Libre de Música de Ponce, known today as the Instituto de Música Juan Morel Campos and, inspired by Jesús Sánchez Erazo, developed an interest in music. He moved to New York City on 3 May 1963, at the age of sixteen. Shortly after his arrival, he worked as the singer in a sextet formed by Roberto García. During this period, he performed with several other groups, including Orquesta New York, Kako All-Stars, and Johnny Pacheco's band. In 1967, Lavoe joined Willie Colón's band as its vocalist, recording several hit songs, including "El Malo" and "Canto a Borinquen." Lavoe moved on to become a soloist and formed his own band performing as lead vocalist. As a soloist, Lavoe recorded several hits including: "El cantante" composed by Rubén Blades, "Bandolera" composed by Colón, and "Periódico de ayer", composed by Tite Curet Alonso. During this period he was frequently featured as a guest singer with the Fania All Stars recording numerous tracks with the band.In 1979, Lavoe became deeply depressed and sought the help of a high priest of the Santería faith to treat his drug addiction. After a short rehabilitation, he relapsed following the deaths of his father, son, and mother-in-law. These events, along with being diagnosed with HIV, drove Lavoe to attempt suicide by jumping off a Condado hotel room balcony in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He survived the attempt and recorded an album before his health began failing. Lavoe died on 29 June 1993, from a complication of AIDS.
- Birthplace: Ponce, Puerto Rico
- Patrick Smith (born 1972 in San Juan, Puerto Rico) is an installation artist, animator and filmmaker. He is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). His formative years were spent as a storyboard artist for Walt Disney, and animation director for MTV's Daria and the Emmy-nominated Downtown. Smith spent five years in Singapore as a professor at the graduate film program for New York University Tisch School of the Arts, under artistic director/filmmaker Oliver Stone. Patrick is a fellow of the New York Foundation of the Arts and a curator for multiple international film and animation festivals. He lives and works in Montauk New York with his wife, Kaori Ishida and their daughter. The beginning of his animation career has been told by himself like this: In 1994, I was in college, and one night decided to animate something strange. I didn't know how to draw, let alone animate, so I just did something abstract. A friend of mine told me I should put an logo on it and send it to MTV. So I mailed a VHS of it to "MTV Networks" the address I got from the phone book. About two weeks later I got a call from a guy named Abbey, who said that they wanted to buy it. I remember the day he called, because it was the same day that I got my rejection letter from Cal Arts. I re-animated the same thing, a bit tighter. The spot won a BDA award (Broadcast Design Association) and a Jury Prize at the 1995 Holland Animation Festival. After I finished the ID, MTV offered me a job on Beavis and Butthead, which was my first ever studio job, and which brought me to New York City. His directorial debut was for the Emmy-nominated series Down-Town, continuing on to direct the popular animated series Daria. Since then he has directed a handful of short films which earned him much reputation at film festivals worldwide as well as numerous awards. Smith and his studio produced the animated series "Blank on Blank" for PBS digital studios an innovative animated show that visually illustrates rare audio interviews of famous artists, actors and musicians.
- Birthplace: San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Jay Hopler (born 1970) is an American poet.
- Birthplace: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Jaime Rexach Benítez
Dec. at 92 (1908-2001)Jaime Benítez Rexach (October 29, 1908 – May 30, 2001) was a Puerto Rican author, academic and politician. He was the longest serving chancellor and the first president of the University of Puerto Rico.- Birthplace: Vieques, United States, with Territories
- Jerome Alfred Mincy Clark is a former Puerto Rican professional basketball player who was born to Shelly and Willie Mincy at Ramey Air Force Base in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico on November 10, 1964. He played in the NCAA with the UAB Blazers and the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN) with Vaqueros de Bayamón. He was a member of the Puerto Rican national team from 1983 to 2002.
- Birthplace: Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
- Néstor Torres is a jazz flautist born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, in 1957. He took flute lessons at age 12 and began formal studies at the Escuela Libre de Música, eventually attending Puerto Rico’s Inter-American University. At 18, he moved to New York with his family. Torres went on to study both jazz and classical music at the Mannes College of Music in New York and the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, among other places. Torres is also a practitioner of Nichiren Buddhism and a longtime member of the Buddhist association Soka Gakkai International.In 2007, Torres played at the World Music Concert during One World Week 2007 at the University of Warwick. In 2010, Torres joined the faculty of Florida International University as a visiting guest artist and founding director of its School of Music's first charanga ensemble.On March 21, 2009, he played in Herbst Theatre in San Francisco in performance "Tango Meets Jazz" with Pablo Ziegler. On September 9, 2009, he played at the Greek Theatre (Los Angeles) with the Dave Matthews Band. He guested on the song "Lying In The Hands Of God." He performed at the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games opening ceremony.
- Birthplace: Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
- Linda Viera Caballero (born March 9, 1969), better known as La India, is a Puerto Rican singer and songwriter of salsa, house music and Latin pop. La India has been nominated for both Grammy and Latin Grammy Awards, winning the Latin Grammy Award for Best Salsa Album for the Intensamente La India Con Canciones De Juan Gabriel album.
- Birthplace: Río Piedras, Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico
- Kermit Cintrón (born October 22, 1979) is a Puerto Rican professional boxer. He held the IBF welterweight title from 2006 to 2008, and has challenged once for the WBC super welterweight title in 2011.
- Birthplace: Carolina, Puerto Rico
Alberto Cutié
Age: 55Alberto R. Cutié (born April 29, 1969 in San Juan, Puerto Rico) is an Episcopal priest also known as Padre Alberto. Cutié was ordained as a priest in the Roman Catholic Church in 1995, and known as an internationally recognizable name by hosting television and radio programs. Cutié left the Roman Catholic Church in May 2009, after publication of photographs showing him with a woman at the beach and his subsequent admission that he was in love. He has said that mandatory celibacy was only one of the theological differences that led him to leave the Roman Catholic Church for the Episcopal Church. He married Ruhama Buni Canellis and joined the Episcopal Church. He now serves as rector of St. Benedict's, an Episcopal parish in Plantation, Florida.- Birthplace: San Juan, United States, with Territories
- Eric Arturo Morel (born October 10, 1975 in San Juan, Puerto Rico) is a Puerto Rican professional boxer. He is a former World Boxing Association (WBA) flyweight (112 lb) champion.
- Birthplace: San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Encarnita "Kany" García de Jesús (born September 25, 1982) is a Puerto Rican singer and songwriter. Born in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, García first appeared on television in 2004 as a contestant on Objetivo Fama. She is widely considered the most successful non-winner in the history of the show. In 2006, García signed a recording contract with Sony BMG, releasing her debut album Cualquier Día (2007), which was a commercial success, spawning four top 40 singles on the Billboard Latin Tracks. With great praise for her work, she has been nominated for six Latin Grammy Awards and two Grammy Awards, and has won Best Female Pop Vocal Album for Cualquier Día and Best New Artist in 2008.
- Birthplace: Toa Baja, Puerto Rico
- Nitza Margarita Cintrón (born 1950) is a Puerto Rican scientist and Chief of Space Medicine and Health Care Systems Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center.
- Birthplace: San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Martha Ivelisse Pesante Rodríguez (born March 4, 1972), known professionally as Ivy Queen, is a Puerto Rican singer, songwriter, rapper, actress and record producer. She was born in Añasco, Puerto Rico, but later moved with her parents to New York City. She never graduated from high school, reaching eleventh grade in the United States and returning to Puerto Rico shortly after. In San Juan, she met record producer DJ Negro, who arranged for her to perform with a group called The Noise at a local club of the same name. There, she performed her first song "Somos Raperos Pero No Delincuentes" (We are Rappers, Not Delinquents). The Noise garnered attention due to their violent and explicitly sexual lyrics. Queen went solo in 1996, and released her debut studio album En Mi Imperio (In My Empire) which was quickly picked up by Sony Discos for distribution in 1997. She later released The Original Rude Girl, her second studio album for Sony label, which spawned the hit single "In the Zone". However, Ivy Queen did not rise to fame until she moved to an independent record label to release her third studio album, Diva in 2003. Queen's albums Diva, Flashback, and Sentimiento have all been awarded Gold and Platinum record status by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Her seventh studio album Drama Queen was released in 2010, and spawned a top ten single "La Vida es Así". It was followed by the Grammy Award-nominated Musa in 2012. Queen's recordings often include themes of female empowerment, infidelity, and relationships, and she is often referred to as the Queen of Reggaeton. Queen has also ventured into acting, has been involved with an anti-cancer charity, and has launched a doll modeled on her appearance. In February 2012, she made her acting debut in Eve Ensler's play The Vagina Monologues. Ivy Queen is one of the wealthiest reggaeton artists and had a net worth of $10 million in 2017.
- Birthplace: Añasco, United States, with Territories
Félix Rigau Carrera
Dec. at 60 (1894-1954)Félix Rigau Carrera (August 30, 1894 – October 13, 1954), known as El Águila de Sabana Grande (The Eagle from Sabana Grande), was the first Puerto Rican pilot and the first Puerto Rican pilot to fly on air mail carrying duties in Puerto Rico.- Birthplace: Sabana Grande, Puerto Rico
Luis Francisco Ojeda
Age: 83Luis Francisco( Ojeda (June 16, 1941) is a well-known Puerto Rican television, radio reporter and host, noted for his aggressive, uncompromising questioning and sometimes described as the Puerto Rican George Clooney.- Birthplace: Jayuya, United States, with Territories
- Héctor Luís Camacho Matías (May 24, 1962 – November 24, 2012), commonly known by his nickname "Macho" Camacho, was a Puerto Rican professional boxer and entertainer. Known for his quickness in the ring and flamboyant style, Camacho competed professionally from 1980 to 2010, and was a world champion in three weight classes. He held the WBC super featherweight title from 1983 to 1984, the WBC lightweight title from 1985 to 1987, and the WBO junior welterweight title twice between 1989 and 1992. In a storied amateur career, Camacho won three New York Golden Gloves tournaments, beginning with the Sub-Novice 112 lbs championship in 1978. During his professional career, Camacho had many notable fights against some of the biggest names in boxing, defeating Roberto Durán twice late in Duran's career, and knocking out Sugar Ray Leonard to send him into permanent retirement. He also fought Julio César Chávez, Félix Trinidad, and Oscar De La Hoya, among others. During his later years, Camacho expanded his popular role and appeared on a variety of Spanish-language reality television shows including Univision's' dancing show Mira Quien Baila and a weekly segment on the popular show El Gordo y La Flaca, named "Macho News". However, he also had much-publicized troubles with drug abuse and criminal charges. In 2005, Camacho was arrested for burglary, a charge to which he would later plead guilty. In 2011 he was shot at three times by would-be carjackers in San Juan, but was uninjured. In late 2012, Camacho was awaiting trial in Florida on charges of physical abuse of one of his sons. On November 20, 2012, Camacho was shot and seriously wounded while sitting in a car outside a bar in his native Bayamón; the driver, a childhood friend, was killed in the shooting. Camacho died four days later; after he was declared clinically brain dead, his mother requested the doctors remove him from life support. After lying in repose for two days in Santurce, Camacho's remains were transported to New York for burial at request of his mother.
- Birthplace: Bayamón, United States, with Territories
- Sir Speedy (born Juan Antonio Ortiz Garcia) (born September 10, 1979), known professionally as Speedy, is a Puerto Rican reggaeton musician. In 2005, he released a remix of the single "Siéntelo" ("Feel It") which was originally recorded for the 2001 various artists compilation, Sandunguero by DJ Blass, Billboard called it "the first international reggaetón hit". Other artists he has worked with include Plan B, Daddy Yankee, and Lito & Polaco. Speedy is currently working on new mixtapes for his label Yoko-Joe Records.
- Birthplace: Arroyo, Puerto Rico
- Adamari López Torres (born May 18, 1971) is a Puerto Rican actress known for participating in several Puerto Rican and Mexican soap operas. She is currently a host on the Telemundo morning show Un Nuevo Día.
- Birthplace: Humacao, United States, with Territories
- Dr. Gilberto Concepción de Gracia (July 9, 1909 – March 16, 1968) was a lawyer, journalist, author, politician and founder of the Puerto Rican Independence Party. He is the great uncle of maternal siblings Residente and ILE of Calle 13, and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
- Birthplace: Vega Baja, United States, with Territories
- Noelia Lorenzo Monge (born in San Juan), mostly known as Noelia, is a Puerto Rican pop singer who rose to fame in 1999. Her self-titled debut album was certified as a RIAA gold album in the United States. During her career she has had ten Latin Billboard Top 40 hits and Five Top 40 Billboard Dance/Club Play Songs. She is a Latin Billboard Award Winner.
- Birthplace: San Juan, United States, with Territories
- Antonia Darder (born Priscilla Antonia Darder Aguilo on April 16, 1952 in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico) is a scholar, artist, poet, activist, and public intellectual. She holds the Leavey Presidential Endowed Chair in Ethics and Moral Leadership in the School of Education at Loyola Marymount University. She also is Professor Emerita of Educational Policy, Organization, and Leadership at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
- Birthplace: Vega Baja, Puerto Rico
- Luis Antonio Rivera Pedraza (born January 3, 1964) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball infielder, who played for the Montreal Expos, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, Houston Astros, and Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). Rivera began coaching in the Cleveland Indians organization in 2000, and worked as their infield and first base coach from 2006 to 2009. In 2010, he joined the Toronto Blue Jays as a coaching assistant, and became the third base coach in 2012.
- Birthplace: Cidra, Puerto Rico
Fermín Tangüis
Dec. at 79 (1851-1930)Fermín Tangüis (March 29, 1851 - August 24, 1930), was a Puerto Rican businessman, agriculturist and scientist who developed the seed that would eventually produce the Tanguis cotton in Peru and save that nation's cotton industry.- Birthplace: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Juan Serrallés Colón
Dec. at 76 (1845-1921)Juan Eugenio Serrallés Colón (1836–1921) was the founder of Hacienda Mercedita in Ponce, Puerto Rico and what was to become Destileria Serralles, producers of "Don Q", a brand of Puerto Rican rum.- Birthplace: Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ana María O'Neill
Dec. at 87 (1894-1981)Ana María O'Neill (March 7, 1894 – May 24, 1981) was an educator, author and advocate of women's rights.- Birthplace: Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
- Rubén Ángel Berríos Martínez (born June 21, 1939) is a Puerto Rican politician, international law attorney, writer, and current president of the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP). A former three-time Senator, Berríos is a perennial PIP candidate for Governor of Puerto Rico. He led the Navy-Culebra protests that succeeded in the United States Navy abandoning the use of the Puerto Rican island of Culebra for military exercises and was a leader for the Cause of Vieques.
- Birthplace: Aibonito, United States, with Territories
- Sila María Calderón Serra (born September 23, 1942) is a Puerto Rican politician, businesswoman, and philanthropist who served as Governor of Puerto Rico from 2001 to 2005. She is the first woman elected to that office; Wanda Vázquez Garced would become the second in 2019. Prior to serving as governor, Calderón held various positions in the Government of Puerto Rico, including the 12th Secretary of State of Puerto Rico from 1988 to 1989, and Chief of Staff to Governor Rafael Hernández Colón. She was also Mayor of San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico, from 1997 to 2001.
- Birthplace: San Juan, United States, with Territories
Tommy Ramos
Age: 38Tommy Ramos is an artistic gymnast.- Birthplace: Bayamón, Puerto Rico
Rafael Hernández Colón
Age: 88Rafael Hernández Colón (October 24, 1936 – May 2, 2019) was a Puerto Rican politician who served as Governor of Puerto Rico from 1973 to 1977 and 1985 to 1993 for a total of three terms. An experienced politician, Hernández held the record for having been the youngest Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to date, having won his first term at the age of 36. Hernández was also the person to have run for governor the most times, a total of five. During his terms as governor, Hernández Colón's administrations were known for trying to invigorate the Puerto Rican economy as well as for defending the political status quo of the island.- Birthplace: Ponce, Puerto Rico
Arturo Alfonso Schomburg
Dec. at 64 (1874-1938)Arturo Alfonso Schomburg (January 24, 1874 – June 10, 1938), was a historian, writer, and activist. Schomburg was a Puerto Rican of African and German descent who moved to the United States and researched and raised awareness of the great contributions that Afro-Latin Americans and Afro-Americans have made to society. He was an important intellectual figure in the Harlem Renaissance. Over the years, he collected literature, art, slave narratives, and other materials of African history, which were purchased to become the basis of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, named in his honor, at the New York Public Library (NYPL) branch in Harlem.- Birthplace: Santurce, Puerto Rico
- Rear Admiral Alberto Díaz Jr. (born 1943) is the first Hispanic to become the Director of the San Diego Naval District and Balboa Naval Hospital.
- Birthplace: San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Gladys Jimenez is an actress.
- Birthplace: Puerto Rico
- Román Baldorioty de Castro (23 February 1822 – 30 September 1889) was Puerto Rican abolitionist and spokesman for the island's right to self-determination. In 1870, he was elected as a deputy in the Cortes Generales, the Spanish parliament, where he promoted abolition of slavery. In 1887, Baldorioty de Castro was the founder of the Partido Autonomista (Autonomist Party), also known as "Partido Autonomista Puro" (Pure Autonomous Party), "Partido Histórico" (Historic Party), and "Partido Ortodoxo" (Orthodox Party).
- Birthplace: Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
- Humberto "Tito" Nieves (born June 4, 1958; also known "El Pavarotti de la Salsa") is a Puerto Rican musician who became one of the leading salsa singers of the 1980s and the early 1990s. Born in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico and raised in the United States, Nieves began his career while participating in Orquesta Cimarron, a New York-based group. In 1977, he teamed up with singer Héctor Lavoe and his Orchestra and joined the Conjunto Clasico. Later, Nieves started his solo career in 1986, setting himself apart by singing Salsa in English. He is known for his hits such as El Amor Más Bonito, Sonámbulo, and the English-salsa hit, I Like It Like That (1996). Present hits from the album Fabricando Fantasias include Fabricando Fantasias and Ya No Queda Nada with La India, Nicky Jam, and K-Mil. He attended Xaverian High School in Brooklyn, New York, where he played in a Spanish-language band named Makondo. Though he left before graduating, he was given an honorary diploma in 1994. The main Producer & Musical Director for most of his recorded albums was Sergio George (1988–93, 2001–08, 2012–13, 2018).In 2007, he released Canciones Clasicas De Marco Antonio Solís, a tribute to Mexican singer, Marco Antonio Solís.
- Birthplace: Río Piedras, Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico
Pedro del Valle
Dec. at 84 (1893-1978)Pedro Augusto del Valle (August 28, 1893 – April 28, 1978) was a United States Marine Corps officer who became the first Hispanic to reach the rank of lieutenant general. His military career included service in World War I, Haiti and Nicaragua during the Banana Wars of the 1920s, and in World War II, the Battle of Guadalcanal and Battle of Okinawa (Commanding General of the 1st Marine Division).- Birthplace: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Luis Lloréns Torres
Dec. at 68 (1876-1944)Luis Llorens Torres (May 14, 1876 – June 16, 1944), was a Puerto Rican poet, playwright, and politician. He was an advocate for the independence of Puerto Rico.- Birthplace: Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico
- Rubén Gómez (July 13, 1927 – July 26, 2004) was a professional right-handed starting pitcher who became the first Puerto Rican to pitch in a World Series game. He was also the winning pitcher in the first ever Major League Baseball game played west of Kansas City. In his homeland, Gómez was nicknamed El Divino Loco ("The Divine Madman"), on account of his willingness to pitch in tough situations.
- Birthplace: Arroyo, Puerto Rico
Mihiel Gilormini
Dec. at 69 (1918-1988)Brigadier General Mihiel "Mike" Gilormini Pacheco (August 3, 1918 – January 29, 1988), was a United States Air Force officer who served in the Royal Air Force and in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. He was the recipient of the Silver Star, the Air Medal with four clusters and the Distinguished Flying Cross 5 times. He was also a co-founder of the Puerto Rico Air National Guard.- Birthplace: Yauco, Puerto Rico
- Peter John Ramos Fuentes (born May 23, 1985) is a Puerto Rican professional basketball player who last played for the San Miguel Alab Pilipinas of the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL). He is the sixth player from Puerto Rico to play in an NBA game and the third Puerto Rican drafted in the NBA draft. Ramos has played in the National Basketball Association, the NBA Development League, the Chinese Basketball Association and the Philippine Basketball Association. Ramos has been a member of the Puerto Rican national basketball team since 2004. He was a member of the 2004 Puerto Rican national team that defeated the United States in the 2004 Olympic Games. Ramos was selected as a NBDL All Star and earned All-NBA Development League Honorable Mention during the 2006–07 season.
- Birthplace: Fajardo
Carmen González
Carmen González may refer to: Carmen González (singer), Afro-Ecuadorian singer Carmen González (chef), American chef- Birthplace: Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
Eurípides Rubio
Dec. at 28 (1938-1966)Captain Eurípides Rubio (March 1, 1938 – November 8, 1966) was a United States Army officer and one of nine Puerto Ricans who were posthumously awarded the United States' highest military decoration for valor, the Medal of Honor, for actions on November 8, 1966, during the Vietnam War. Rubio was a member of the United States Army, Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment (Black Lions), 1st Infantry Division, Republic of Vietnam.- Birthplace: Ponce, Puerto Rico
Gerónimo Lluberas
Dec. at 47 (1956-2003)Gerónimo "Gerry" Lluberas (January 7, 1956 - May 7, 2003) was a Puerto Rican physician, humanitarian, writer and composer. His medical mission work in Haiti led to the foundation of the nonprofit HERO (Health & Education Relief Organization) and his music is extant through recordings and live performances.- Birthplace: Ponce, Puerto Rico
- Braulio Dueño Colón (March 26, 1854 – April 4, 1934) was a Puerto Rican musician and composer.
- Birthplace: San Juan, Puerto Rico
José Vega Santana
Age: 66José Vega Santana a.k.a. "Remi" (born February 28, 1958) is a clown from Puerto Rico. A book "Remi, El Clown" describes his adventures as a clown. He has made many presentations in the United States. While he was a student at the Inter-American University he developed the character of "Remi". His group called themselves as "Los Dulces Payasos" or "The Sweet Clowns".- Birthplace: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Francisco Matos Paoli
Dec. at 85 (1915-2000)Francisco Matos Paoli March 9, 1915 – July 10, 2000), was a Puerto Rican poet, critic, and essayist who in 1977 was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature. His books were rooted in three major literary movements in Latin America: Romanticism, Modernism, and Postmodernism.Paoli was also a Secretary General of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party and a Puerto Rican patriot. In 1950 he was imprisoned for having a Puerto Rican flag in his home, and for speaking on behalf of Puerto Rico's independence.- Birthplace: Lares, Puerto Rico
- A relative unknown prior to 2009, Ramon Rodriguez suddenly broke out with prominent roles in a string of big-budget films and a high-profile television series at the turn of the decade. Rodriguez began his career on series television, landing recurring roles on several acclaimed series, including "Rescue Me" (FX, 2004-2011) and "The Wire" (HBO, 2002-08). Though the young actor had a shot as a regular performer on "Day Break" (ABC, 2006), the action series was canceled before he could gain recognition for himself. A true renaissance man, Rodriquez also made his mark in sports as the founder of Project Playground, a touring basketball performance group, as well as in music, as a member of the Abakua Latin Dance Company, making him one of the more unique and gifted performers to emerge in some time. With his back-to-back appearances in "The Taking of Pelham 123" (2009) and "Transformers: Rise of the Fallen" (2009), Rodriguez was suddenly a hot commodity in Hollywood. He followed with a co-starring turn in "Battle: Los Angeles" (2011) prior to landing a regular spot as Bosley on the "Charlie's Angels" (ABC, 2011- ) reboot. Multi-talented, handsome and ambitious, Rodriguez possessed all the requisite tools necessary for the lengthy career that awaited him.
- Birthplace: Río Piedras, Puerto Rico
Alejandro Tapia y Rivera
Dec. at 55 (1826-1882)Alejandro Tapia y Rivera (November 12, 1826 – July 19, 1882) was a Puerto Rican poet, playwright, essayist and writer. Tapia is considered to be the father of Puerto Rican literature and as the person who has contributed the most to the cultural advancement of Puerto Rico's literature. In addition to his writing, he was also a abolitionist and a women's rights advocate.- Birthplace: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Mike Pérez
Age: 60For the baseball catcher, see Michael Pérez.Michael Irvin Pérez Ortega (born October 19, 1964) is a former Puerto Rican professional baseball player who was a pitcher in the Major Leagues for eight seasons in the 1990s. Perez played college baseball for the University of Florida and Troy State University, and thereafter, he played professionally for the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs and Kansas City Royals.- Birthplace: Yauco, Puerto Rico
Geovany Soto
Age: 42Geovany Soto (born January 20, 1983) is a Puerto Rican professional baseball catcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, Oakland Athletics, Los Angeles Angels and Chicago White Sox. He has appeared in the MLB All-Star Game and was named the National League Rookie of the Year in 2008.- Birthplace: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Agustín Ramos Calero
Dec. at 69 (1919-1989)Sergeant First Class Agustín Ramos Calero (June 2, 1919 – February 10, 1989) was awarded 22 decorations and medals from the U.S. Army for his actions during World War II, thus becoming the most decorated Puerto Rican and Hispanic soldier in the United States military during that war.- Birthplace: Isabela, Puerto Rico
Lalo Rodríguez
Age: 66Ubaldo Rodríguez Santos (born May 16, 1958), known professionally as Lalo Rodríguez, is a Puerto Rican salsa singer and musician best known for his hit "Ven, devórame otra vez".- Birthplace: Carolina, Puerto Rico
- Aída M. Álvarez (born 1950) is a Puerto Rican businesswoman and politician. She is the first Latina woman to hold a United States Cabinet-level position, as the Administrator of the Small Business Administration, during Bill Clinton's presidency.
- Birthplace: Aguadilla, United States, with Territories
- Luis Muñoz Rivera (July 17, 1859 – November 15, 1916) was a Puerto Rican poet, journalist and politician. He was a major figure in the struggle for political autonomy of Puerto Rico. In 1887, Muñoz Rivera became part of the leadership of a newly formed Autonomist Party. In 1889, he successfully ran a campaign for the position of delegate in the district of Caguas. Subsequently, Muñoz Rivera was a member of a group organized by the party to discuss proposals of autonomy with Práxedes Mateo Sagasta, who would grant Puerto Rico an autonomous government following his election. He served as Chief of the Cabinet of this government. On August 13, 1898, the Treaty of Paris transferred possession of Puerto Rico from Spain to the United States and a military government was established. In 1899, Muñoz Rivera resigned his position within the cabinet and remained inactive in politics for some time. In 1909, he was elected as Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico and participated in the creation of the Jones-Shafroth Act, proposing amendments before its final approval. Shortly after, Muñoz Rivera contracted an infection and traveled to Puerto Rico, where he died on November 15, 1916. His son, Luis Muñoz Marín would subsequently become involved in politics, becoming the first democratically elected Governor of Puerto Rico.
- Birthplace: Barranquitas, United States, with Territories
Baltasar Corrada del Río
Age: 89Baltasar Corrada del Río (April 10, 1935 – March 11, 2018) was a Puerto Rican politician. He held various high political offices in the island, including President of the Puerto Rico Civil Rights Commission, Resident Commissioner (1977–1985), Mayor of the capital city of San Juan (1985–1989), Puerto Rico's 15th Secretary of State (1993–1995) and Associate Justice of the Supreme Court (1995–2005). He was also the unsuccessful NPP candidate for Governor in the elections of 1988.- Birthplace: San Juan, United States, with Territories
Jorge Santini
Age: 64Jorge Santini Padilla (born March 11, 1960) is a Puerto Rican politician who is best known as former Mayor of San Juan City.- Birthplace: San Juan, United States, with Territories
Luisa Capetillo
Dec. at 42 (1879-1922)Luisa Capetillo (October 28, 1879 – October 10, 1922) was one of Puerto Rico's most famous labor leaders. She was a social labor organizer and a writer who fought for equal rights for women's rights, free love and human emancipation.- Birthplace: Arecibo, Puerto Rico
José Antonio Dávila
Dec. at 43 (1898-1941)Dr. José Antonio Dávila (October 7, 1898 – December 4, 1941) was a postmodern Puerto Rican poet.- Birthplace: Bayamón, Puerto Rico
- Antonia Pantoja (September 13, 1922 – May 24, 2002), is an educator, social worker, feminist, civil rights leader and founder of ASPIRA, the Puerto Rican Forum, Boricua College and Producir. In 1996, she was the first Puerto Rican woman to receive the American Presidential Medal of Freedom.
- Birthplace: San Juan, Puerto Rico
José Gautier Benítez
Dec. at 30 (1849-1880)José Martín Antonio Gautier Benítez (April 12, 1851 – January 24, 1880) was a Puerto Rican poet of the Romantic Era.- Birthplace: Caguas, Puerto Rico
- Ari Meyers (born April 6, 1969) is an actress. She played the role of Emma Jane McArdle in the television series Kate & Allie (1984).
- Birthplace: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Jorge Farinacci
Dec. at 57 (1949-2006)Jorge Aurelio Farinacci García (1949 – August 26, 2006) was a Puerto Rican politician and socialist. He held a strong pro-independence stance of Puerto Rico from the U.S. Farinacci died in the morning of August 26, 2006 from complications due to a brain tumor. Farinacci, spokesman of the Socialist Front, suffered from a lymphoma in the brain that had previously affected his kidneys and heart, but was unable to survive this third stage.- Birthplace: San Germán, United States, with Territories
Juan "Pachín" Vicéns
Dec. at 72 (1934-2007)Juan "Pachín" Vicéns Sastre (September 7, 1934 – February 18, 2007) was a Puerto Rican basketball player. Vicéns was famous for his performance with the Leones de Ponce and with the Puerto Rican national basketball team. During the 1959 FIBA World Championship in Chile, Vicéns was declared to be the Best Player in the World.- Birthplace: Ciales, Puerto Rico
Oscar Garcia Rivera
Dec. at 68 (1900-1969)Oscar Garcia Rivera Sr. (November 6, 1900 – February 14, 1969) was a politician, lawyer and activist. Garcia Rivera made history when in 1937 he became the first Puerto Rican to be elected to public office in the continental United States. In 1956, he also became the first Puerto Rican to be nominated as the Republican candidate for Justice of the City Court.- Birthplace: Mayagüez, United States, with Territories
- Milagros Ninette Corretjer Maldonado, known as Millie Corretjer (born April 18, 1974), is a Puerto Rican singer and actress. She is married to retired boxer Oscar De La Hoya. She is the granddaughter of influential poet and one-time Secretary General of the pro-independence Puerto Rican Nationalist Party Juan Antonio Corretjer.
- Birthplace: San Juan, United States, with Territories
George E. Mayer
Age: 73Rear Admiral George E. "Rico" Mayer (born August 26, 1952) is a retired United States Naval officer and Naval Aviator. At the time of his retirement, he was the first Puerto Rican Commander of the Naval Safety Center.- Birthplace: San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Sixto Escobar (March 23, 1913 – November 17, 1979) was a Puerto Rican professional boxer. Competing in the bantamweight division, he became Puerto Rico's first world champion.Escobar was born in Barceloneta and raised in San Juan. There he received his primary education and took interest in boxing. After gathering a record of 21–1–1 as an amateur, Escobar debuted as a professional in 1931 defeating Luis "Kid Dominican" Pérez by knockout. Early in his career, he moved to Venezuela due to the lack of opponents in his division. There he received an opportunity for the Venezuelan Bantamweight championship, but lost by points to Hall of Famer Enrique Chaffardet. Subsequently, he moved to New York and began boxing in other states, eventually capturing the Montreal Athletic Commission World Bantamweight Title. In 1936, he defeated Tony Marino to unify this championship with the one recognized by the International Boxing Union, in the process becoming the third Latin American undisputed world boxing champion. After retiring, he worked as a spokesperson for beer companies in New York, before returning to Puerto Rico in the 1960s, where he resided until his death. He received several posthumous recognitions and his name was used in several sports venues and buildings. In 2002, Escobar was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
- Birthplace: Barceloneta, Puerto Rico
Hila Levy
Age: 38Captain Hila Levy-Williams (born December 10, 1986) is an intelligence officer in the United States Air Force who was the first Puerto Rican to be awarded a Rhodes Scholarship. She was honored with a plaque that has her name, squadron name and graduation date, which was placed in the ballroom balcony of the Academy's hall of honor. The plaque recognizes Levy as the top former CAP cadet in the Class of 2008.- Birthplace: Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
- Walter Mercado Salinas (born 9 March 1932), also known by his stage name Shanti Ananda, is a Puerto Rican astrologer, actor, dancer, and writer, best known as a television personality for his shows as an astrologer. His astrology predictions shows aired for decades in Puerto Rico, Latin America and the United States.
- Birthplace: Ponce, Puerto Rico
Sixto González
Age: 60Sixto A. González (born 1965) is the first Puerto Rican to be named Director of the Arecibo Observatory, the world's largest single dish radio telescope.- Birthplace: Bayamón, Puerto Rico
John R. Velazquez
Age: 53John R. Velazquez (born November 24, 1971) is an American jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing. Born in Puerto Rico, where he began his career as a jockey, he came to the mainland US in 1990. In 2004 and 2005 he was the United States Champion Jockey by earnings and both years was given the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey. He was inducted into the Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2012, rode his 5,000th winner in 2013, and became the leading money-earning jockey in the history of the sport in 2014. A winner of fifteen Breeders' Cup and four Triple Crown races including the 2011 and 2017 Kentucky Derby, Velázquez has also won major graded stakes races such as the Kentucky Oaks, Metropolitan Handicap, Whitney Handicap, Dubai World Cup and Woodbine Mile.- Birthplace: Carolina, Puerto Rico
Teófilo Marxuach
Dec. at 62 (1877-1939)Lieutenant Colonel Teófilo Marxuach, (July 28, 1877 – November 8, 1939), was the person who ordered the first shots fired in World War I on behalf of the United States on an armed German supply ship trying to force its way out of the San Juan Bay. Marxuach ordered hostile shots from a machine gun and a cannon located at the Santa Rosa battery of "El Morro" fort, in what is considered to be the first shots of World War I fired by the regular armed forces of the United States against any ship flying the colors of the Central Powers, forcing the Odenwald to stop and to return to port, where its supplies were confiscated.- Birthplace: Arroyo, Puerto Rico
Pedro Albizu Campos
Dec. at 73 (1891-1965)Pedro Albizu Campos (September 12, 1891 – April 21, 1965) was a Puerto Rican attorney and politician, and the leading figure in the Puerto Rican independence movement. Gifted in languages, he spoke six. He graduated from Harvard Law School with the highest grade point average in his law class, an achievement that earned him the right to give the valedictorian speech at his graduation ceremony. However, animus towards his mixed racial heritage led to his professors delaying two of his final exams in order to keep Albizu Campos from graduating on time. During his time at Harvard University he became involved in the Irish struggle for independence.Albizu Campos was the president and spokesperson of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party from 1930 until his death in 1965. Because of his oratorical skill, he was hailed as El Maestro (The Teacher). He was imprisoned twenty-six years for attempting to overthrow the United States government in Puerto Rico. In 1950, he planned and called for armed uprisings in several cities in Puerto Rico. Afterward he was convicted and imprisoned again. He died in 1965 shortly after his pardon and release from federal prison, some time after suffering a stroke. There is controversy over his medical treatment in prison.- Birthplace: Ponce, Puerto Rico
- Edwin "Chapo" Rosario Rivera (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈeðwin roˈsaɾjo]; March 15, 1963 – December 1, 1997) was a world champion professional boxer who competed from 1979 to 1997. He won the lightweight championship of the world three times, as the WBC lightweight champion (1983–84), and the WBA champion (1986–87) and (1989–90). Rosario won a 4th world championship after moving up to the junior welterweight division by claiming the WBA title, holding that crown from 1991 to 1992. Rosario was posthumously inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2006.
- Birthplace: Toa Baja, Puerto Rico
Deborah Carthy-Deu
Age: 59Deborah Carthy-Deu (born January 5, 1966) is a Puerto Rican actress, TV Host and beauty queen. She is known for being the second Miss Universe from Puerto Rico. The contest was held at the James L. Knight Center in Miami, Florida on July 15, 1985.- Birthplace: Santurce, United States, with Territories
- Carlos Quintana (born November 6, 1976) is a retired Puerto Rican professional boxer. As an amateur Quintana represented Puerto Rico. He debuted as a professional in 1997. On February 24, 2006, he participated in his first professional championship fight, defeating Raul Bejerano for the World Boxing Organization's Latino welterweight championship. His first defense took place on June 24, 2006 when he defeated Joel Julio by unanimous decision in a welterweight title eliminator. In this fight he also won the World Boxing Council's Latino welterweight championship. His first world title fight took place on December 2, 2006, when he fought against Miguel Cotto for the World Boxing Association welterweight title. Cotto won the fight by technical knockout. On February 9, 2008, Quintana challenged Paul Williams for the WBO welterweight championship, winning the fight by unanimous decision. He entered the Light Middleweight division to face Deandre Latimore, knocking Latimore out to win the NABO Light Middleweight championship.
- Birthplace: Moca, Puerto Rico
