José Julián Acosta (1825 – 1891), born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, was a distinguished journalist and a fervent advocate of the abolition of slavery in Puerto Rico.
Acosta was one of Rafael Cordero's most notable students. It was Rafael Cordero who taught him during his primary and secondary educational years. Rafael Cordero's influence lasted Acosta the rest of his life. Later, he became a protegé of Father Rufo Manuel Fernández, who would be the one to send him to Madrid, Spain to study Pyshic-Mathematics. After he graduated, Acosta continued to expand his educational knowledge in Paris, London and in Berlin.
When Acosta returned to Puerto Rico, he took a job as a professor of Botany and Maritime Sciences. He became the director of the Civil Institude of Secondary Education. Acosta was also the founder and editor of the newapaper "El Progreso " (Progress) and he colabarated with many other newspapers which were liberal orientated.
In 1867, he was a member of a Puerto Rican commission, which included Segundo Ruiz Belvis, that participated in the "Overseas Information Committee " meeting in Madrid. There Acosta reguested the abolition of slavery in Puerto Rico.
Upon returning to the island, Acosta, like so many other Puerto Ricans with liberal views, was harshly mistreated by the Spanish governor. This, however did not keep him from becoming the Puerto Rican representative to the Spanish Courts in 1871 and 1879, where he continued to express his views.
March 22, 1873 was a great day for Jose Julian Acosta and all the other abolitionists because slavery was finally abolished in Puerto Rico.
José Julián Acosta Published and colabarated with Fray Iñigo Abbad's book "The History of Puerto Rico ". This book served as one of the most important educational tools in Puerto Rico for many generations.
José Julián Acosta died in 1891 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
See also
Last updated: 06-03-2005 11:09:49
