Ricardo Alegría
Encyclopedia
Ricardo Alegría was a Puerto Rican
scholar, cultural anthropologist and archeologist known as the "Father of Modern Puerto Rican Archaeology
".
, where he received his primary and secondary education. He was motivated by his father, Jose Alegría, who taught him to love Puerto Rico and to be proud of its history and culture. In 1941 at the University of Puerto Rico, he founded the Puerto Rican Fraternity Alpha Beta Chi in search of a fraternity that based its principles in equality, fairness and acceptance of all that wanted to join. In 1942, Alegría earned his Bachelors of Science degree in archeology from the University of Puerto Rico
. He continued his academic education in the University of Chicago
where in 1947 he earned his Masters in Antropology and History. In 1954, Alegría earned his PhD. (doctorate) in Antropology from Harvard University
.
by Luis Muñoz Marín
, Puerto Rico's first elected governor. He was responsible for the creation of the "Archaeological Center of Investigation of the University of Puerto Rico
". Alegría also created the "Center of Popular Arts of the Puerto Rican Cultural Institute", the program of publication of books of the institute, and created the logo for the Institute of Neurobiology in Puerto Rico.
Alegría was responsible for the renovation and restoration of historical Old San Juan under the leadership of then San Juan mayor Felisa Rincón de Gautier
. He is also responsible for the restoration of the ruins of "Caparra" and "Fort San Jeronimo". As a result of his work "Old San Juan" was declared a "Historical World Treasure". In 1976, Alegría opened the "Center of Advanced Studies of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean". In 1992, he established the "Museum of the Americas".
studies of the Taino
culture and the African heritage in Puerto Rico. His extensive studies have helped historians understand how the Taínos lived and suffered, before and after the Spanish Conquistadores arrived in the island. Alegría estimated that about one third of all Puerto Ricans (2 million out of 6 million) have Taíno blood and therefore the Taínos were not completely extinct and some had to survive. Recently, the results of recent DNA
studies have proved him right.
presented Alegría with the "Charles Frankel Prize
" for his contributions in the field of archaeology. In 1996, he was awarded the "James Smithson Bicentennial Medal". In 2001, Alegría received from the hands of Nancy Morejon
"The Haydee Santamaria Medal" in Havana, Cuba. In 2002, Alegría received the "Luis Muñoz Marín Medal" in recognition of his life achievements from Puerto Rican Governor Sila Calderón. Puerto Rican artist Lorenzo Homar
honored Alegría by making an artistic graphic poster of him.
Alegría also received recognition from cultural and architectural organizations in Peru, Venezuela, Mexico and the Dominican Republic, where he also received an honorary doctorate. The city of Havana recognized his influence in the project to remodel the city's historical district (similar to Alegría's work in Old San Juan) by honoring him with a plaque, which, while he was alive, was the only monument honoring a living Puerto Rican in the entire city.
Puerto Rican folk duo Los Niños Estelares dedicated a tribute song to Alegría, named "Alegría, Doctor Alegría", in their 2010 album, Namasté. In it they describe many of Alegría's accomplishments, his educational background, and -partly in jest, due to Alegría's impressive credentials- likened him to Indiana Jones
. In the lyrics, they name Alegría "the last Puerto Rican hero."
became inspired by Alegría's work and incorporated a fictional character based on him, named Ricardo Santurce, in his play El loco de los balcones. "I admire him a lot; his work was extraordinary. Not only did he resuscitate a barrio, Old San Juan, which is very beautiful, but he did it without allowing it to be turned into a museum. He gave it a great vitality and integrated it to current life, showing in a quite concrete way that the past can be a very rich and stimulating element for the present. I wish all Latin American countries had a Ricardo Alegría”.
Ricardo Alegría lived in Old San Juan in his later years, until his death on July 7, 2011. He had been hospitalized in San Juan's Centro Medico (Medical Center Hospital) a few weeks before his death. After a brief recovery, he relapsed, and was returned to the medical center, where he died of heart failure.
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...
scholar, cultural anthropologist and archeologist known as the "Father of Modern Puerto Rican Archaeology
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
".
Early years
Alegría was born in San Juan, Puerto RicoSan 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...
, where he received his primary and secondary education. He was motivated by his father, Jose Alegría, who taught him to love Puerto Rico and to be proud of its history and culture. In 1941 at the University of Puerto Rico, he founded the Puerto Rican Fraternity Alpha Beta Chi in search of a fraternity that based its principles in equality, fairness and acceptance of all that wanted to join. In 1942, Alegría earned his Bachelors of Science degree in archeology 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...
. He continued his academic education in the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
where in 1947 he earned his Masters in Antropology and History. In 1954, Alegría earned his PhD. (doctorate) in Antropology from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
.
Institute of Puerto Rican Culture
Alegría was named the first director of the Institute of Puerto Rican CultureInstitute of Puerto Rican Culture
The Institute of Puerto Rican Culture , or ICP, for short, is an institution of the Government of Puerto Rico responsible for the establishment of the cultural policies required in order to study, preserve, promote, enrich, and diffuse the cultural values of Puerto Rico...
by Luis Muñoz Marín
Luis Muñoz Marín
Don José Luis Alberto Muñoz Marín was a Puerto Rican poet, journalist, and politician. Regarded as the "father of modern Puerto Rico," he was the first democratically elected Governor of Puerto Rico. Muñoz Marín was the son of Luis Muñoz Rivera, a renowned autonomist leader...
, Puerto Rico's first elected governor. He was responsible for the creation of the "Archaeological Center of Investigation of 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...
". Alegría also created the "Center of Popular Arts of the Puerto Rican Cultural Institute", the program of publication of books of the institute, and created the logo for the Institute of Neurobiology in Puerto Rico.
Alegría was responsible for the renovation and restoration of historical Old San Juan under the leadership of then San Juan mayor Felisa Rincón de Gautier
Felisa Rincón de Gautier
Felisa Rincón de GautierThis name uses Spanish marriage naming customs; the first is the maiden family name "Rincón" and the second or matrimonial family name is "Gautier"...
. He is also responsible for the restoration of the ruins of "Caparra" and "Fort San Jeronimo". As a result of his work "Old San Juan" was declared a "Historical World Treasure". In 1976, Alegría opened the "Center of Advanced Studies of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean". In 1992, he established the "Museum of the Americas".
Anthropology pioneer
Alegría is credited with being a pioneer in the anthropologicAnthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
studies of the Taino
Taíno people
The Taínos were pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles. It is thought that the seafaring Taínos are relatives of the Arawak people of South America...
culture and the African heritage in Puerto Rico. His extensive studies have helped historians understand how the Taínos lived and suffered, before and after the Spanish Conquistadores arrived in the island. Alegría estimated that about one third of all Puerto Ricans (2 million out of 6 million) have Taíno blood and therefore the Taínos were not completely extinct and some had to survive. Recently, the results of recent DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
studies have proved him right.
Written works
The following is a list of books which Alegría has either authored or co-authored.- "Ball Courts and Ceremonial Plazas in the West Indies"
- "The three wishes; a collection of Puerto Rican folktales"(1969) ( with Lorenzo HomarLorenzo HomarLorenzo Homar , is considered by many to be Puerto Rico's greatest graphic artist.-Early years:Homar, born in the "Barrio" Puerta de Tierra of San Juan, Puerto Rico, inherited his love for the arts from both of his parents. His father was an arts promoter and his mother a pianist. He went to...
) - "History of the Indians of Puerto Rico"
- "El Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, 1955–1973 : 18 años contribuyendo a fortalecer nuestra conciencia nacional"
- "Taino: Pre-Columbian Art & Culture from the Caribbean" (with Fatima Bercht and Jose J. Arrom)
- "Las primeras representaciones gráficas del indio americano, 1493–1523"
- "Descubrimiento, conquista y colonización de Puerto Rico, 1493–1599" (with Mela Pons Alegría)
- "Historia y Cultura de Puerto Rico: Desde La Epoca Pre-Colombina Hasta Nuestros Dias"
- "Excavations at Maria de La Cruz Cave & Hacienda Grande Village Site, Loiza, Puerto Rico" (with Irving Rouse)
- "La vida de Jesucristo según el santero puertorriqueño Florencio Cabán"
- "San Juan de Puerto Rico" (with Manuel Méndez Guerrero and María de los Angeles Castro Arroyo)
- "Cafe" (1967)
- "Programa De Parques Y Museos Del Instituto De Cultura Puertorriquena" (1973)
- "La Fiesta De Santiago Apostol En Loiza Aldea"
- "El Fuerte De San Jerónimo Del Boquerón"
Awards and recognitions
In 1993, President Bill ClintonBill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
presented Alegría with the "Charles Frankel Prize
National Humanities Medal
The National Humanities Medal honors individuals or groups whose work has deepened the nation’s understanding of the humanities, broadened citizens’ engagement with the humanities, or helped preserve and expand Americans’ access to important resources in the humanities.The award, given by the...
" for his contributions in the field of archaeology. In 1996, he was awarded the "James Smithson Bicentennial Medal". In 2001, Alegría received from the hands of Nancy Morejon
Nancy Morejón
Nancy Morejón is one of Cuba's major authors and poets. She has gained recognition for work whose themes are centered on women and the Afro-Cuban experience.-Life history:...
"The Haydee Santamaria Medal" in Havana, Cuba. In 2002, Alegría received the "Luis Muñoz Marín Medal" in recognition of his life achievements from Puerto Rican Governor Sila Calderón. Puerto Rican artist Lorenzo Homar
Lorenzo Homar
Lorenzo Homar , is considered by many to be Puerto Rico's greatest graphic artist.-Early years:Homar, born in the "Barrio" Puerta de Tierra of San Juan, Puerto Rico, inherited his love for the arts from both of his parents. His father was an arts promoter and his mother a pianist. He went to...
honored Alegría by making an artistic graphic poster of him.
Alegría also received recognition from cultural and architectural organizations in Peru, Venezuela, Mexico and the Dominican Republic, where he also received an honorary doctorate. The city of Havana recognized his influence in the project to remodel the city's historical district (similar to Alegría's work in Old San Juan) by honoring him with a plaque, which, while he was alive, was the only monument honoring a living Puerto Rican in the entire city.
Puerto Rican folk duo Los Niños Estelares dedicated a tribute song to Alegría, named "Alegría, Doctor Alegría", in their 2010 album, Namasté. In it they describe many of Alegría's accomplishments, his educational background, and -partly in jest, due to Alegría's impressive credentials- likened him to Indiana Jones
Indiana Jones
Colonel Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, Jr., Ph.D. is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Indiana Jones franchise. George Lucas and Steven Spielberg created the character in homage to the action heroes of 1930s film serials...
. In the lyrics, they name Alegría "the last Puerto Rican hero."
Legacy and death
Nobel laureate Mario Vargas LlosaMario Vargas Llosa
Jorge Mario Pedro Vargas Llosa, 1st Marquis of Vargas Llosa is a Peruvian-Spanish writer, politician, journalist, essayist, and Nobel Prize laureate. Vargas Llosa is one of Latin America's most significant novelists and essayists, and one of the leading authors of his generation...
became inspired by Alegría's work and incorporated a fictional character based on him, named Ricardo Santurce, in his play El loco de los balcones. "I admire him a lot; his work was extraordinary. Not only did he resuscitate a barrio, Old San Juan, which is very beautiful, but he did it without allowing it to be turned into a museum. He gave it a great vitality and integrated it to current life, showing in a quite concrete way that the past can be a very rich and stimulating element for the present. I wish all Latin American countries had a Ricardo Alegría”.
Ricardo Alegría lived in Old San Juan in his later years, until his death on July 7, 2011. He had been hospitalized in San Juan's Centro Medico (Medical Center Hospital) a few weeks before his death. After a brief recovery, he relapsed, and was returned to the medical center, where he died of heart failure.
See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- Puerto Rican scientists and inventors