Dr. Jose Celso Barbosa:
Dr. Jose Celso Barbosa: born on July 27th, 1857, in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. He recieved both his
primary and secondary education in Puerto Rico. He was the first Puerto Rican of color to attend
the Island's prestigious Jesuit Seminary. In 1875, he moved to New York City to attend prep-school
where he learned English for a year. He was admitted to the University of Michigan medical school
in 1876. Dr. Barbosa graduated Valedictorian of the class of 1880; he was a physician, sociologist
and political leader. In 1893, Dr. Barbosa founded the first Puerto Rican cooperative "El Ahorro Colectivo."
On July 4th, 1899 he founded the Puerto Rican Republican Statehood Party, he believed in the
"American Federalist system" as an ideal solution to Puerto Rico's colonial problem, and declared
in favor for the Island's integration as a Federated State of the Union. He became known as the father
of the "Statehood for Puer Rico" movement. In 1900, Dr. Barbosa became a member of the Executive
Cabinet up until 1917; he established the first biligual newspaper "El Tiempo" on the Island in 1907.
Dr. Barbosa served in the Senate of Puerto Rico from 1917 to 1921, Dr. Jose Celso Barbosa died on
September 21st, 1921 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.