Manuel Fernández Juncos

Manuel Fernández Juncos
Manuel Fernández Juncos
Born	December 11, 1846(1846-12-11) Tresmonte, Ribadesella, Asturias, Spain
Died	August 18, 1928(1928-08-18) San juan, Puerto Rico
Nationality	Spanish
Occupation	journalist, poet, author, humanitarian
Known for	Lyrics to La Borinqueña, Puerto Rico's national anthem.

Manuel Fernández Juncos ^{[note 1]} (December 11, 1846 – August 18, 1928) was a Spanish journalist, poet, author and humanitarian who wrote the official lyrics to La Borinqueña, Puerto Rico's official anthem.

Early years

Fernández Juncos was born in Tresmonte, a section of Ribadesella, Asturias, Spain. At an early age he emigrated to the island where he was to spend the rest of his life.^[1][2]

Fernández Juncos first wrote for El Progreso (Progress), a newspaper founded by José Julián Acosta. He also wrote for the Porvenir and El Clamor del País newspapers. Fernández Juncos founded many newspapers with liberal tendencies. Among them, one was called El Buscapie. It promoted a socialist agenda, including the idea that every child should be entitled to a free education. It quickly became the most widely read Puerto Rican paper of its time. He also founded the Revista Puertorriqueña (The Puerto Rican Magazine).^[1][2]

As a writer, Fernández Juncos studied and wrote about the roots of the Puerto Ricans as a people. Among his most notable works were: Tipos y Characteres, Libro Cuarto de Lectura, and Canciones Escolares (which he co-wrote with Virgilio Dávila and Braulio Dueño Colon).^[1][2]

Political activist

Fernández Juncos joined the Autonomist Party founded by Román Baldorioty de Castro and became its secretary. Shortly after, when Puerto Rico was granted its autonomy from Spain, Fernández Juncos was elected and became the first Secretary of State. However, in less than a year Puerto Rico was invaded by the United States during the Spanish-American War and its government abolished. He founded the Puerto Rican Red Cross, which continues today to give humanitarian help to those in need.^[1][2]

"La Borinqueña"

Fernández Juncos wrote the current lyrics to "La Borinqueña" which originally was a danza written by Francisco Ramírez in 1860 (sometimes credited to Félix Astol Artés in 1867). The original lyrics to the anthem, written by Lola Rodríguez de Tio in 1868, were deemed as too subversive for public use. A public contest to provide new lyrics to the tune was held in 1903, with Fernández Juncos as its winner (this explains why the Asturias native is credited for writing the lines "The land of Borinquen / where I was born"). "La Borinqueña" became the official anthem of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in 1952.^[1][2]

External audio
	You may listen to Graciela Rivera's interpretation of Fernández Juncos' version of the "La Borinqueña" here.

Official Anthem of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

"La Boriqueña"
by Manuel Fernández Juncos

Spanish (original version)	English translation
La tierra de Borinquen donde he nacido yo es un jardín florido de mágico primor.	The land of Borinquen where I have been born is a flowery garden of magical beauty.
Un cielo siempre nítido le sirve de dosel y dan arrullos plácidos las olas a sus pies.	A constantly clear sky serves as its canopy and placid lullabies are sung by the waves at its [Borinquen's] feet.
Cuando a sus playas llegó Colón Exclamó lleno de admiración: "Oh!, oh!, oh!, esta es la linda tierra que busco yo".	When at her beaches Columbus arrived full of awe he exclaimed, "Oh!, oh!, oh!, this is the lovely land that I seek"
Es Borinquen la hija, la hija del mar y el sol, del mar y el sol, del mar y el sol, del mar y el sol, del mar y el sol.	Borinquen is the daughter, the daughter of the sea and the sun. Of the sea and the sun, of the sea and the sun, of the sea and the sun, of the sea and the sun.

Postscript

Manuel Fernández Juncos died on August 18, 1928 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The government of Puerto Rico has honored his memory by naming a school city of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico and one of its most important commercial avenues in San Juan after him.

See also

	Puerto Rico portal
	Biography portal

• List of famous Puerto Ricans

Notes

1. ^
   This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Fernández and the second or maternal family name is Juncos.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} El Nuevo Dia
2. ^ ^{a b c d e} Manuel Fernandez Juncos School

External links

• El Nuevo Dia
• Manuel Fernández Juncos School

Persondata
Name	Juncos
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	December 11, 1846
Place of birth	Tresmonte, Ribadesella, Asturias, Spain
Date of death	August 18, 1928
Place of death	San juan, Puerto Rico