Albizu Campos, Pedro, 1891-1965

Pedro Albizu Campos (b. September 12, 1891, Ponce, PR–d. April 21, 1965, San Juan, PR) was a leading figure Puerto Rican independence movement. Born to an educated family in Ponce, PR, Albizu Campos attended the University of Vermont and then Harvard University. During World War I he volunteered with the United States Infantry. Following his military service, Albizu Campos attended Harvard Law School and graduated with the highest grade point average in his law class. However, his professors delayed two of his final exams in order to keep Albizu Campos from graduating on time because of his mixed race heritage. Regardless, after graduation her returned to Puerto Rico in 1923.

He was president and spokesperson of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party from 1930 until his death in 1965 and hailed as El Maestro (The Teacher). He was imprisoned several times for attempting to overthrow the United States government in Puerto Rico and received poor treatment. In 1950, he planned and called for armed uprisings in several cities in Puerto Rico and was subsequently imprisoned again.