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Pedro Albizu Campos
Although born in Ponce, Albizu Campos spent part of his childhood in the Aguirre area of Salinas. He became one of Puerto Rico's most influential political leaders and served as president of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party. He was born on September 12, 1891 in Tenerias Village, Ponce. The son of Alejandro Albizu and Juana Campos. He was the nephew of Juan Morel Campos. Terrorist to his enemies and critics, hero to the most fervent Puerto Rican nationalist. After service in an African-American unit during World War I he developed a lasting enmity for the United States and became the fiery champion of Puerto Rican independence. Educated at Harvard (BS 1916, LL B 1923), he joined the Nationalist Party in 1924 and was the most prominent "independentista" of his time.
In 1930, he was elected president of the Nationalist Party of Puerto Rico. Convicted of seeking to overthrow the U.S. government, he was imprisoned (1937-43) before returning to Puerto Rico in 1947. His party made a poor showing in the 1948 election. He masterminded a nationalist attack to the governor's mansion in Puerto Rico and was accused of being behind the October 31, 1950, assassination attempt on President Truman at Blair House in Washington. After he was sentenced to prison for 53 years, Governor Luis Muñoz Marín offered him a conditional pardon in 1953, but withdrew it after the nationalist attack on the U.S. House of Representatives the next year. Campos spent his final years in prison. While in prison, he claimed that he was the subject of human radiation experiments. He suffered a stroke in 1956 and was again pardoned in 1964. Died in Hato Rey, on April 21, 1965.
Juan Morel Campos
Born May 16, 1857 in Ponce. Died May 12, 1896 in Ponce. Composer and musician considered the father of the danza, Puerto Rico's most distinctive classical music form.
He was the most important figure in Puerto Rican music of the 19th century. His first teacher was none other than the illustrious pianist-composer Manuel G. Tavarez (a Parisian trained composer and former pupil of M. Alphonse Laurent and M. Daniel Auber), who also wrote some of the most beloved Danza repertory for the piano. He composed countless danzas, the dance (along with the bomba and plena) most closely associated with Puerto Rico. "Felices Dias", "Vano Empeno", "Mis penas", "Tormento", "Alma Sublime", "La Lira Poncena", "Alma Sublime" and many others are among his most famous compositions. It's calculated that Morel created more than 550 compositions of which more than 300 are danzas.
