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Eugenio María de Hostos


Introducing Eugenio María de Hostos

Photograph of HostosA Puerto Rican educator, writer and patriot, Eugenio Maria de Hostos was born in 1839 in the village of Río Cañas in Mayagüez.  Hostos attended school in San Juan and studied education and law in Spain where he fought to liberalize Spain’s colonial rule of Cuba and Puerto Rico and to abolish African slavery.  In 1869, he left Madrid for New York City where he joined other exiles in the Cuban Revolutionary Junta, working for the liberation of Cuba and Puerto Rico.  Hostos was a man who dedicated his life to progress, education and justice--passionately committed to human rights and personal dignity. He vigorously championed reforms in politics, law, social mores and education. His extensive travels throughout the United States, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean provided him first hand contact with the social and economic injustice and struggles taking place in many countries. His wide range of literary formats-books, newspaper articles, plays, speeches, and letters –provided a stage to disseminate his ideas and ideals to people on both continents. He fought against colonialism and slavery, endeavored for the independence of Cuba and Puerto Rico, and became a vigorous advocate for an Antillean Confederation

More Information about Eugenio María de Hostos

Start Your Research on Eugenio María de Hostos

For biographical information about Eugenio Maria de Hostos, Gale Virtual Reference is a great database. For information about Hostos' rich life, educational philosophy, and many published works and primary sources, the resources below are a good place to start. You may also want to review the book collection in the library catalog, and possibly schedule an appointment with the Hostos Archives.

Remember, many materials written by and about Hostos the man are in Spanish.

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