- Delma S. Arrigoitia
-
Delma S. Arrigoitia 
Occupation Historian, author, educator and lawyer Nationality Puerto Rican Genres History Notable work(s) "Jose De Diego el legislador, San Juan;" "Eduardo Giorgetti Y Su Mundo: La Aparente Paradoja De Un Millonario Genio Empresarial Y Su Noble Humanismo;" "Puerto Rico Por Encima de Todo: Vida y Obra de Antonio R. Barcelo, 1868-1938" Notable award(s) "Puerto Rico Por Encima de Todo: Vida y Obra de Antonio R. Barcelo, 1868-1938" - Awarded first prize in the category of research and criticism by the Ateneo Puertorriqueño Dr. Delma S. Arrigoitia, PhD, J.D., (born c. 1945) is a historian, author, educator and lawyer whose written works cover the life and works of some of Puerto Rico's most prominent politicians of the early 20th century. Arrigoitia was also the first person in the University of Puerto Rico to earn a Masters Degree in the field of history.
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Early years
Arrigoitia (birth name: Delma S. Arrigoitia Peraza) was born in the City of Arecibo to Enrique and Consuelo Arrigoitia. She was an only child and as such would often combat her loneliness by reading books.[1] She came from a distinguished family whose love for education and culture served as her inspiration. She received her primary education at the "Colegio San Felipe de Arecibo" and her secondary education at the University High School of the University of Puerto Rico (also known as the UPR) in Rio Piedras . Arrigoitia enrolled in the UPR, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. During her student years she was a Magna Cum Laude student, wand she earned a medal for having the highest average score in her concentration which was history. Arrigoitia continued her studies and in 1966, became the first person in the University of Puerto Rico to earn a Masters Degree in history with her thesis La Diputacion Provincial de Puerto Rico, 1820-23.[2]
Author and educator
For a short period of time, she taught humanities in her Alma Mater before she proceeded to study law, earning her Juris Doctor degree.[2] She practiced with the law firm of Hartzell, Ydrach, Mellado, Santiago before deciding to attend Fordham University in New York to pursue a doctorate degree in history. There she earned her degree with the thesis on José de Diego, which was later published by the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, titled Jose De Diego el legislador.[3] Her legal experience enabled her to examine and understand the laws created by the subjects of her politcal biographies, and their influence on the economic and political status of Puerto Rico in relation to the United States.[4]
Arrigoitia returned to the UPR and helped establish, as coordinator, the institution's first graduate school of history which offered a doctorate degree in history. She wrote the biography of Eduardo Giorgetti, a Puerto Rican millionaire who was also another prominent political figure, titled Eduardo Giorgetti Y Su Mundo: La Aparente Paradoja De Un Millonario Genio Empresarial Y Su Noble Humanismo.[5] During her years at the university she wrote a rules and regulations manual for university professors. The Middle States Association (MSA) now requires compliance with this manual, as an ongoing prerequisite for UPR's accreditation by the MSA.
As a university professor, Arrigoitia also traveled throughout Puerto Rico giving conferences on De Diego and Giorgetti.
In the late 1990s, Arrigoitia became interested in writing a book about the life of Puerto Rico's first president of the Puerto Rican Senate, Antonio Rafael Barceló. With support from the Puerto Rican Senate, she wrote this book which is titled Puerto Rico Por Encima de Todo: Vida y Obra de Antonio R. Barcelo, 1868-1938. The book was recognized by the Fundación Luis Muñoz Marín[6] and in 2010, it was also recognized as the best of its kind in the category of research and criticism by the Ateneo Puertorriqueño (Puerto Rican Athenaeum), one of Puerto Rico's chief cultural institutions founded in 1876. The book also won a first prize of $6,000, which was presented to Arrigoitia in a ceremony in July of that year.[4][7]
Currently
In 2002, Arrigoitia retired as an educator at the UPR. She is dedicated to the authorship of various books. Among her projects is a book about the history of the fashion industry in Puerto Rico, as requested by Puerto Rican high fashion designer Carlota Alfaro,[1] and a book about the women who have served in the Puerto Rican Legislature, which was requested by the President of the Chamber of Representatives of Puerto Rico (House of Representatives), the Honorable Jennifer Gonzalez. She is also planning a book about the First Chamber of Delegates (1900–1903) of Puerto Rico.
Arrigoitia was featured in the section Escenarios - Literatura in El Vocero, a local newspaper, and in a piece titled Los Tres Hombres de Delma (The Three Men of Delma) on March 27, 2010.[1] On April 5, she was also featured in the section Vidas Unicas in El Nuevo Dia, another local newspaper, and in a piece titled Exploradora del Genio Patrio (Explorer of the Patriotic Genre).[8] Arrigoitia, who resides in Ocean Park, Santurce, has two brothers from her father's first marriage. One of them is a medical doctor, and the other has a doctorate in literature.[4]
Written works
- Jose De Diego el legislador, San Juan; by: Delma S. Arrigoitia; Publisher: Instituto de Cultura Puertorriquena,1991; LCCN: 93114065; LC: F1978.D54 A77 1991
- Eduardo Giorgetti Y Su Mundo: La Aparente Paradoja De Un Millonario Genio Empresarial Y Su Noble Humanismo; by Delma S. Arrigoitia; Publisher: Ediciones Puerto; ISBN 0942347528; ISBN 9780942347524
- Puerto Rico Por Encima de Todo: Vida y Obra de Antonio R. Barcelo, 1868-1938; by: Dr. Delma S. Arrigoitia; Publisher: Ediciones Puerto (January 2008); ISBN 978-1934461693
See also
- List of Latin American writers
- List of Puerto Rican writers
- List of Famous Puerto Ricans
- Puerto Rican literature
- Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States
References
- ^ a b c "Los Tres Hombres de Delma"; El Vocero; by:Carlos Ochpteco; March 27, 2010; p. 30
- ^ a b Notiicas (News)
- ^ Mujer y patria en los versos de José de Diego
- ^ a b c Primera Hora
- ^ "Eduardo Giorgetti Y Su Mundo: La Aparente Paradoja De Un Millonario Genio Empresarial Y Su Noble Humanismo"; by Delma S. Arrigoitia; Publisher: Ediciones Puerto; ISBN 0942347528; ISBN 9780942347524
- ^ Fundación Luis Muñoz Marín
- ^ Puerto Rico Daily Sun
- ^ "Exploradora del Genio Patrio"; El Nuevo Dia; by:Mildred Rivera Marrero; April 5, 2010; pg. 58
Categories:- 1945 births
- Living people
- Puerto Rican writers
- Puerto Rican educators
- People from Arecibo, Puerto Rico
- Puerto Rican women writers
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