Nemesio Canales
Encyclopedia
Nemesio R. Canales was a Puerto Rican
essayist, journalist
, novelist, playwright
, politician
and activist who defended women's civil rights. As a politician, he presented a bill to the Puerto Rican House of Representatives, which eventually was approved, giving women their full civil rights, including the right to vote.
and Jayuya, Puerto Rico
, the town where he was born. His younger sister was Blanca Canales
, became a nationalist
leader and led the Jayuya Uprising
revolt against United States colonial rule in 1950. Canales continued his higher educational studies in the "Liceo of Mayagüez
" where he earned a bachelor's degree in literature
. In 1896, Canales went to Spain
and enrolled in the University of Zaragoza to study medicine. In 1898, when the United States
declared war against Spain, Canales abandoned his studies and went to Baltimore, Maryland. There he enrolled in Baltimore's College of Law in 1903.
Upon his return to Puerto Rico he went to live in the city of Ponce
. He then married Guarina Diaz, the granddaughter of Roman Baldorioty de Castro. In Ponce, Canales joined the law firm of Luis Llorens Torres
.
Canales, like so many lawyers of the time, wrote poetry of patriotic themes, collaborated as a journalist and took an active interest in politics. He joined the Unionist Party and served in the Puerto Rican House of Representatives
. The Unionist Party
promoted the economic progress of the working class. In 1909, he presented a bill to the House, which eventually was approved, giving women their full civil rights, including the right to vote. He also served as a lecturer in the School of Law of the University of Puerto Rico
.
Canales co-founded with Luis Llorens Torres the "Revista de las Antillanas". He also wrote short novels and a comedy called "El Heroe Galopante" (The Traveling Hero), which debuted on stage in 1923 after his death. In 1914, he bought the newspaper "El Día" of Ponce (which later became "El Nuevo Día"). In his newspaper he had a column in which he wrote his "Paliques". In the "Paliques", he showed his understanding of the human nature with humor and insight. In his works, he makes an emphasis of the pride that he feels for things Puerto Rican. A collection of his essays, "Paliques" were published in 1913. Among his other works are the novels "Hacia Un Lejano Sol", "Mi Volutad Ha Muerto" and "La Leyenda Benaventina". Canales gave many lectures, among the countries he visited were Argentina
, Peru
, Uruguay
, Panama
and Venezuela
.
On September 14, 1923, Nemesio Canales was in New York City
with the intention of going to Washington, D.C.
as a legal assistant to a legislative Puerto Rican commission, when he died.
named after him.
His native town, Jayuya, erected a statue in his honor, sculpted by well-known Puerto Rican sculptor Tomas Batista
, in the "Plaza de Recreo (town square
) Nemesio R. Canales". Jayuya also converted the house in which Nemesio and his sister were raised was converted into a museum.
In Ponce, he is honored at the Illustrious Ponce Citizens Plaza in Tricentennial Park.
Puerto Rican people
A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...
essayist, journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, novelist, playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
, politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and activist who defended women's civil rights. As a politician, he presented a bill to the Puerto Rican House of Representatives, which eventually was approved, giving women their full civil rights, including the right to vote.
Early years
Canales attended schools in UtuadoUtuado, Puerto Rico
Utuado is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the central-western mountainous region of the island known as La Cordillera Central. It is located north of Adjuntas and Ponce; south of Hatillo and Arecibo; east of Lares; and west of Ciales and Jayuya. In land area it is the third-largest...
and Jayuya, Puerto Rico
Jayuya, Puerto Rico
Jayuya is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the mountainous center region of the island, north of Ponce; east of Utuado; and west of Ciales. Jayuya is spread over 18 wards and Jayuya Pueblo...
, the town where he was born. His younger sister was Blanca Canales
Blanca Canales
Blanca Canales Torresola was a Puerto Rican nationalist leader. Canales may possibly have been the first woman to have led a revolt against the United States when she led the The Jayuya Uprising.-Early years:...
, became a nationalist
Puerto Rican Nationalist Party
The Puerto Rican Nationalist Party was founded on September 17, 1922. Its main objective is to work for Puerto Rican Independence.In 1919, José Coll y Cuchí, a member of the Union Party of Puerto Rico, felt that the Union Party was not doing enough for the cause of Puerto Rican independence and he...
leader and led the Jayuya Uprising
Jayuya Uprising
The Jayuya Uprising, also known as the Jayuya Revolt or El Grito de Jayuya, refers to a nationalist revolt in the town of Jayuya, Puerto Rico which occurred on October 30, 1950...
revolt against United States colonial rule in 1950. Canales continued his higher educational studies in the "Liceo of Mayagüez
Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
Mayagüez is the eighth-largest municipality of Puerto Rico. Originally founded as "Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria" it is also known as "La Sultana del Oeste" , "Ciudad de las Aguas Puras" , or "Ciudad del Mangó"...
" where he earned a bachelor's degree in literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
. In 1896, Canales went to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and enrolled in the University of Zaragoza to study medicine. In 1898, when the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
declared war against Spain, Canales abandoned his studies and went to Baltimore, Maryland. There he enrolled in Baltimore's College of Law in 1903.
Political activist
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
. He then married Guarina Diaz, the granddaughter of Roman Baldorioty de Castro. In Ponce, Canales joined the law firm of Luis Llorens Torres
Luis Lloréns Torres
Luis Llorens Torres , was a Puerto Rican poet, playwright, and politician. He was an advocate for the independence of Puerto Rico.-Early years:...
.
Canales, like so many lawyers of the time, wrote poetry of patriotic themes, collaborated as a journalist and took an active interest in politics. He joined the Unionist Party and served in the Puerto Rican House of Representatives
House of Representatives of Puerto Rico
The House of Representatives of Puerto Rico is the lower house of the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico, the territorial legislature of Puerto Rico...
. The Unionist Party
Union of Puerto Rico
The Union of Puerto Rico , also known as the Union Party, was a major political party in Puerto Rico.The UPR was founded in February 1904 by Luis Muñoz Rivera, Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón, Antonio R. Barceló, José de Diego and others after the disbanding of the Federal Party...
promoted the economic progress of the working class. In 1909, he presented a bill to the House, which eventually was approved, giving women their full civil rights, including the right to vote. He also served as a lecturer in the School of Law 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...
.
Writer
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
, Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
.
On September 14, 1923, Nemesio Canales was in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
with the intention of going to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
as a legal assistant to a legislative Puerto Rican commission, when he died.
Honors
Puerto Rico awards the Nemesio Canales Award in Literature every year to outstanding young writers, and has named a public housing project in San JuanSan 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...
named after him.
His native town, Jayuya, erected a statue in his honor, sculpted by well-known Puerto Rican sculptor Tomas Batista
Tomás Batista
Tomás Batista is considered by many to be Puerto Rico's greatest sculptor. He is the creator of some of Puerto Rico's most famous monuments.-Early years:...
, in the "Plaza de Recreo (town square
Town square
A town square is an open public space commonly found in the heart of a traditional town used for community gatherings. Other names for town square are civic center, city square, urban square, market square, public square, and town green.Most town squares are hardscapes suitable for open markets,...
) Nemesio R. Canales". Jayuya also converted the house in which Nemesio and his sister were raised was converted into a museum.
In Ponce, he is honored at the Illustrious Ponce Citizens Plaza in Tricentennial Park.
See also
- List of Puerto Rican writers
- List of Famous Puerto Ricans
- Puerto Rican literature