Search Famous Puerto Ricans
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Luis A. Ferré
Governor of Puerto Rico (1969–1973), founder of the Museo de Arte de Ponce and the New Progressive Party. Deeply shaped the city's cultural landscape.
He was the third democratically elected Governor of Puerto Rico (1968-1972). He ran a family cement company and was elected to the House of Representatives in 1952. In 1967, he founded the New Progressive Party; as its candidate he won the governorship in 1968, breaking the Popular Democratic Party's 28-year domination. His re-election campaign in 1972 became a virtual referendum on statehood, which Ferré advocated. Ferré was defeated by Rafael Hernández Colon, who pledge for the continuation of the commonwealth status.
Rafael Hernandez Colón
Three-term Governor of Puerto Rico (1973-1977, 1985-1993) and one of the island's most influential political leaders. Known for his contributions to economic development, infrastructure, and public policy.
An honors graduate of Johns Hopkins Univ. (1956) and the Univ. of Puerto Rico law school (1959), he practiced law in Ponce, and was elected to the senate in 1968. He was a protégé of Luis Muñoz Marín. He served as president of the senate and as president of the Popular Democratic party. In 1972 he decisively defeated Gov. Luis Ferré to become, at 36, the island's youngest governor. He sponsored ambitious programs of economic development and housing construction, and he strongly opposed U.S. President Ford's wish to make Puerto Rico the 51st state. He wanted to make Puerto Rico less dependent economically on the United States.
