Julia de Burgos
Encyclopedia
Julia Constancia Burgos García (February 17, 1914 – July 6, 1953) is considered by many as the greatest poet to have been born in Puerto Rico
, and along with Gabriela Mistral
, is considered as one of the greatest female poets of Latin America
. She was also an advocate for the independence of Puerto Rico and an ardent civil rights
activist
for women and African/Afro-Caribbean writers.
on February 17, 1914. She was raised in a poor section of Carolina called Barrio Santa Cruz. She was the oldest of thirteen children, six of her youngest siblings died of malnutrition. Her family's poverty did not keep her from developing a love for nature and her country as noted in her first work Río Grande de Loíza: “My childhood was all a poem in the river, and a river in the poem of my first dreams.” Her family moved to Rio Piedras where she was awarded a scholarship to attend University High School
. In 1931, she enrolled in University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus
to become a teacher.
In 1933, Burgos graduated at the age of 19 from the University of Puerto Rico
with a degree in teaching. She became a teacher and worked at Feijoo Elementary School in Barrio Cedro Arriba of Naranjito, Puerto Rico
. She also worked as writer for a children's program on public radio, but she was reportedly fired because of her political beliefs. Her love for literature led her to write poetry. Among her early influences were Luis Llorens Torres
, Clara Lair, Rafael Alberti
and Pablo Neruda
.
(Partido Nacionalista de Puerto Rico) and elected Secretary General of the Daughters of Freedom, a non-partisan women's organization which was the women's branch of the Nationalist Party. The Puerto Rican Nationalist Party was the independence party headed by Pedro Albizu Campos
, a Puerto Rican nationalist. Due to time and constraints, her activities had affected her marriage, she and her husband divorced in 1937.
, who stated that her calling was to be the greatest poet of the Americas
.
Among Julia de Burgos' most famous works are:
Later in life, Burgos became romantically involved with Dr. Juan Isidro Jimenes Grullón, a Dominican
physician. According to Grullón, many of her poems during that time were inspired by the love that she felt for him. In 1939, Burgos and Jimenes Grullón traveled first to Cuba
where she attended the University of Havana
and then later to New York
where she worked as a journalist for "Pueblos Hispanos", a progressive newspaper. Shortly upon their arrival in Cuba, her relationship with Jimenes Grullón began to show tension. After trying to save her relationship, she instead left and returned once again to New York, however this time alone, were she took menial jobs to support herself. In 1943, she married Armando Marín, a musician from Vieques. In 1947, the marriage also ended in divorce, lapsing Burgos into further depression and alcoholism.
In February 1953, she wrote one of her last poems, "Farewell in Welfare Island". It was written during her last hospitalization and is believed to be the only poem she wrote in English. In the poem she foreshadows her death and reveals an ever darker concept of life: "It has to be from here,/right this instance,/my cry into the world./My cry that is no more mine,/but hers and his forever,/the comrades of my silence,/the phantoms of my grave." On June 28, 1953, she left the Brooklyn
home of a relative she was residing with and disappeared without a clue to where she went.
It was later discovered that on July 6, 1953, she collapsed on a sidewalk in the Spanish Harlem
section of Manhattan
, and later died of pneumonia at a hospital in Harlem
at the age of 39. Since no one initially claimed her body and the fact that she had no identification on her at time of her death, the city gave her a pauper's burial on Hart Island, the city's only potter's field
.
Some of her friends and relatives were able to trace and find her grave and claim her body. A committee was organized in Puerto Rico, presided by Dr. Margot Arce de Vázquez
, to have her remains transferred to the island. Her remains arrived on September 6, 1953 and funeral services for her were held at the Puerto Rican Atheneum. She was given a hero's burial at the Municipal Cemetery of Carolina. A monument was later built at her burial site by the City of Carolina.
Cities that have honored Julia de Burgos include:
The renowned Puerto Rican sculptor Tomás Batista
sculpted a bust of Julia which is in the Julia de Burgos Park in Carolina. Isabel Cuchí Coll
published a book about Burgos titled "Dos Petisas de América: Clara Lair y Julia de Burgos". Puerto Rican poet Giannina Braschi who was born the year of Julia's death pays homage to her poetry and legend in a pivotal scene of the Spanglish novel "Yo-Yo Boing!" A documentary about the life of Julia de Burgos was made in 2002 titled "Julia, toda en mi..." ("Julia, all in me...") directed and produced by Ivonne Belen
. Another biopic about her life, "Vida y poesía de Julia de Burgos," was filmed and released in Puerto Rico in 1978.
On September 14, 2010, in a ceremony held in San Juan
, the United States Postal Service
honored Burgos's life and literary work with the issuance of a first class postage stamp
, the 26th release in the postal system's Literary Arts series. The stamp's portrait was created by Toronto
-based artist Jody Hewgill.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, and along with Gabriela Mistral
Gabriela Mistral
Gabriela Mistral was the pseudonym of Lucila de María del Perpetuo Socorro Godoy Alcayaga, a Chilean poet, educator, diplomat, and feminist who was the first Latin American to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, in 1945...
, is considered as one of the greatest female poets of Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
. She was also an advocate for the independence of Puerto Rico and an ardent civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
activist
Activism
Activism consists of intentional efforts to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. Activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing...
for women and African/Afro-Caribbean writers.
Early years
Julia de Burgos was born in Carolina, Puerto RicoCarolina, Puerto Rico
Carolina is a city located in the northern part of Puerto Rico, bordering the Atlantic Ocean; it lies north of Gurabo and Juncos; east of Trujillo Alto and San Juan; and west of Canóvanas and Loíza. Carolina is spread over 12 wards plus Carolina Pueblo...
on February 17, 1914. She was raised in a poor section of Carolina called Barrio Santa Cruz. She was the oldest of thirteen children, six of her youngest siblings died of malnutrition. Her family's poverty did not keep her from developing a love for nature and her country as noted in her first work Río Grande de Loíza: “My childhood was all a poem in the river, and a river in the poem of my first dreams.” Her family moved to Rio Piedras where she was awarded a scholarship to attend University High School
University High School (San Juan)
"UHS" or the University High School in San Juan, Puerto Rico is a teaching facility operated by the Faculty of Education of the University of Puerto Rico. Located on University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, it provides education to approximately 600 students from 7th to 12th grade...
. In 1931, she enrolled in University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus
University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus
The University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras , also referred to as UPR-RP, is a public research university located on a campus in Río Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico...
to become a teacher.
In 1933, Burgos graduated at the age of 19 from the University of Puerto Rico
University of Puerto Rico
The University of Puerto Rico is the state university system of Puerto Rico. The system consists of 11 campuses and has approximately 64,511 students and 5,300 faculty members...
with a degree in teaching. She became a teacher and worked at Feijoo Elementary School in Barrio Cedro Arriba of Naranjito, Puerto Rico
Naranjito, Puerto Rico
Naranjito is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the central region of the island, south of Toa Alta; north of Barranquitas and Comerío; east of Corozal; and west of Bayamón. Naranjito is spread over 15 wards and Naranjito Pueblo...
. She also worked as writer for a children's program on public radio, but she was reportedly fired because of her political beliefs. Her love for literature led her to write poetry. Among her early influences were Luis Llorens Torres
Luis Lloréns Torres
Luis Llorens Torres , was a Puerto Rican poet, playwright, and politician. He was an advocate for the independence of Puerto Rico.-Early years:...
, Clara Lair, Rafael Alberti
Rafael Alberti
Rafael Alberti Merello was a Spanish poet, a member of the Generation of '27....
and Pablo Neruda
Pablo Neruda
Pablo Neruda was the pen name and, later, legal name of the Chilean poet, diplomat and politician Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basoalto. He chose his pen name after Czech poet Jan Neruda....
.
Nationalist
In 1934, she married Ruben Rodrigues Beauchamp and ended her teaching career to dedicate her time to her marriage and her passion for writing. In 1936, she was a member of the Puerto Rican Nationalist PartyPuerto Rican Nationalist Party
The Puerto Rican Nationalist Party was founded on September 17, 1922. Its main objective is to work for Puerto Rican Independence.In 1919, José Coll y Cuchí, a member of the Union Party of Puerto Rico, felt that the Union Party was not doing enough for the cause of Puerto Rican independence and he...
(Partido Nacionalista de Puerto Rico) and elected Secretary General of the Daughters of Freedom, a non-partisan women's organization which was the women's branch of the Nationalist Party. The Puerto Rican Nationalist Party was the independence party headed by Pedro Albizu Campos
Pedro Albizu Campos
Don Pedro Albizu Campos was a Puerto Rican politician and one of the leading figures in the Puerto Rican independence movement. He was the leader and president of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party from 1930 until his death...
, a Puerto Rican nationalist. Due to time and constraints, her activities had affected her marriage, she and her husband divorced in 1937.
Literature
By the early 1930s, Burgos was already a published writer in journals and newspapers. She published three books which contained a collection of her poems. For her first two books, she traveled around the island promoting herself by giving book readings. Her third book was published posthumously in 1954.Burgos's lyrics poems are a combination of the intimate, the land and the social struggle of the oppressed. Many critics asserts that her poetry anticipated the work of feminist writers and poets as well as that of other Hispanic authors. In one of her poems, she writes: “I am life, strength, woman.” Burgos received numerous awards and recognition for her work and was celebrated by poets including Pablo NerudaPablo Neruda
Pablo Neruda was the pen name and, later, legal name of the Chilean poet, diplomat and politician Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basoalto. He chose his pen name after Czech poet Jan Neruda....
, who stated that her calling was to be the greatest poet of the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
.
Among Julia de Burgos' most famous works are:
- "El Rio Grande de Loiza",
- "Poema para mi Muerte" (My Death Poem),
- "Yo Misma Fui Mi Ruta" (I Was My Own Path),
- "Alba de Mi Silencio", and
- "Alta Mar y Gaviota".
Later years
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
physician. According to Grullón, many of her poems during that time were inspired by the love that she felt for him. In 1939, Burgos and Jimenes Grullón traveled first to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
where she attended the University of Havana
University of Havana
The University of Havana or UH is a university located in the Vedado district of Havana, Cuba. Founded in 1728, the University of Havana is the oldest university in Cuba, and one of the first to be founded in the Americas...
and then later to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
where she worked as a journalist for "Pueblos Hispanos", a progressive newspaper. Shortly upon their arrival in Cuba, her relationship with Jimenes Grullón began to show tension. After trying to save her relationship, she instead left and returned once again to New York, however this time alone, were she took menial jobs to support herself. In 1943, she married Armando Marín, a musician from Vieques. In 1947, the marriage also ended in divorce, lapsing Burgos into further depression and alcoholism.
In February 1953, she wrote one of her last poems, "Farewell in Welfare Island". It was written during her last hospitalization and is believed to be the only poem she wrote in English. In the poem she foreshadows her death and reveals an ever darker concept of life: "It has to be from here,/right this instance,/my cry into the world./My cry that is no more mine,/but hers and his forever,/the comrades of my silence,/the phantoms of my grave." On June 28, 1953, she left the Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
home of a relative she was residing with and disappeared without a clue to where she went.
It was later discovered that on July 6, 1953, she collapsed on a sidewalk in the Spanish Harlem
Spanish Harlem
East Harlem, also known as Spanish Harlem and El Barrio, is a section of Harlem in the northeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. East Harlem is one of the largest predominantly Latino communities in New York City. It includes the area formerly known as Italian Harlem, in which...
section of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, and later died of pneumonia at a hospital in Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
at the age of 39. Since no one initially claimed her body and the fact that she had no identification on her at time of her death, the city gave her a pauper's burial on Hart Island, the city's only potter's field
Potter's field
A potter's field was an American term for a place for the burial of unknown or indigent people. The expression derives from the Bible, referring to a field used for the extraction of potter's clay, which was useless for agriculture but could be used as a burial site.-Origin:The term comes from...
.
Some of her friends and relatives were able to trace and find her grave and claim her body. A committee was organized in Puerto Rico, presided by Dr. Margot Arce de Vázquez
Margot Arce de Vázquez
Dr. Margot Arce de Vázquez was a writer, essayist and educator who founded the Puerto Rican Academy of the Spanish Language.-Early years:...
, to have her remains transferred to the island. Her remains arrived on September 6, 1953 and funeral services for her were held at the Puerto Rican Atheneum. She was given a hero's burial at the Municipal Cemetery of Carolina. A monument was later built at her burial site by the City of Carolina.
Honors
On February 19, 1987, the Spanish Department of the University of Puerto Rico posthumously honored Julia de Burgos by granting her a doctorate in Human Letters and Arts. The proclamation was presented to her niece, Maria Consuelo Seaz Burgos.Cities that have honored Julia de Burgos include:
- Carolina, Puerto Rico
- Escuela Julia de Burgos
- Loiza, Puerto RicoLoíza, Puerto RicoLoíza is a small town and municipality in the northeastern coast of Puerto Rico, north of Canóvanas; east of Carolina; and west of Río Grande. Loíza is spread over 5 wards and Loíza Pueblo...
- Paseo Julia de Burgos (Julia de Burgos Way)
- New York City, New York
- Julia de Burgos Cultural Center
- Julia de Burgos Way (corner of East 106th Street and Lexington Avenue)
- Julia de Burgos Middle School (M.S. 99)
- Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
- Julia de Burgos Elementary School
- Julia de Burgos Magnet Middle School
- San Juan, Puerto RicoSan Juan, Puerto RicoSan Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
- Casa Protegida Julia de Burgos (domestic violence shelter)
- Toa Baja, Puerto RicoToa Baja, Puerto RicoToa Baja is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the northern coast, north of Toa Alta and Bayamón; east of Dorado; and west of Cataño. Toa Baja is spread over 5 wards and Toa Baja Pueblo . It is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area.Toa Baja considered to be a...
- Academia Julia de Burgos (Julia de Burgos Academy)
- Willimantic, ConnecticutWillimantic, ConnecticutWillimantic is a census-designated place and former city located in the town of Windham in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was estimated at 15,823 at the 2000 census. It is home to Eastern Connecticut State University, as well as the Windham Textile and History Museum....
- Julia de Burgos Park
The renowned Puerto Rican sculptor Tomás Batista
Tomás Batista
Tomás Batista is considered by many to be Puerto Rico's greatest sculptor. He is the creator of some of Puerto Rico's most famous monuments.-Early years:...
sculpted a bust of Julia which is in the Julia de Burgos Park in Carolina. Isabel Cuchí Coll
Isabel Cuchí Coll
Isabel Cuchí Coll was a journalist, author and the Director of the "Sociedad de Autores Puertorriqueño"...
published a book about Burgos titled "Dos Petisas de América: Clara Lair y Julia de Burgos". Puerto Rican poet Giannina Braschi who was born the year of Julia's death pays homage to her poetry and legend in a pivotal scene of the Spanglish novel "Yo-Yo Boing!" A documentary about the life of Julia de Burgos was made in 2002 titled "Julia, toda en mi..." ("Julia, all in me...") directed and produced by Ivonne Belen
Ivonne Belen
Ivonne Belén is a Puerto Rican documentary movie director and producer.-Early years:Belén was born and raised in San Juan, the Capital of Puerto Rico, where she received her primary and secondary education. As a child Belén enjoyed setting up improvised plays for her family. Her first...
. Another biopic about her life, "Vida y poesía de Julia de Burgos," was filmed and released in Puerto Rico in 1978.
On September 14, 2010, in a ceremony held in San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
, the United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
honored Burgos's life and literary work with the issuance of a first class postage stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
, the 26th release in the postal system's Literary Arts series. The stamp's portrait was created by Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
-based artist Jody Hewgill.
Publications
- Yo misma fui mi ruta, Ediciones Huracán, 1986; ISBN 0-940238-30-6
- Amor y soledad Ediciones Torremozas, 1994; ISBN 84-7839-136-3
- El Mar Y Tu Ediciones Huracan, 1981; ISBN 0-940238-46-2
- Cancion De La Verdad Sencilla (Vortice Ser) Ediciones Huracan, 1982; ISBN 0-940238-66-7
- Poema En Veinte Surcos Ediciones Huracan, 1983; ISBN 0-940238-23-3
Biographical/Documentary films
- "Julia...Todo En Mi" on the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- "Vida y poesía de Julia de Burgos on the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
See also
- List of Latin American writers
- List of Puerto Rican writers
- List of Famous Puerto Ricans
- Puerto Rican literature
- Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States
- Puerto Rican Nationalist PartyPuerto Rican Nationalist PartyThe Puerto Rican Nationalist Party was founded on September 17, 1922. Its main objective is to work for Puerto Rican Independence.In 1919, José Coll y Cuchí, a member of the Union Party of Puerto Rico, felt that the Union Party was not doing enough for the cause of Puerto Rican independence and he...
External links
- The Complete Chronology / Cronología Completa de su vida y obra Review
- Gus Puleo, Review of Song of the Simple Truth: Obra poética completa/ The Complete Poems of Julia de Burgos. Ed. and trans. Jack Agueros. Willimantic, CT: Curbstone Press, 1997
- Fem-Biography
- Hispanic Heritage biography
- University of Puerto Rico biography (in Spanish)
- Julia de Burgos in the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...