Ana Roque de Duprey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ana Roque de Duprey
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Roque was one of the founders of the University of Puerto Rico
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Ana Roqué Geigel
April 18, 1853 |
| Died | 1933 (aged 79–80) Río Piedras, Puerto Rico
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| Nationality | Puerto Rican |
| Occupation | Educator and suffragist |
| Spouse(s) | Luis Duprey |
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Roque founded the Puerto Rican Feminist League, the first feminist organization in Puerto Rico dedicated to the issues of women's rights.
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Ana Roqué de Duprey, also known as "Flor del Valle" (Flower of the Valley), was an amazing educator and a leader for women's rights. She was born on April 18, 1853, and passed away in 1933. She also helped start the University of Puerto Rico.
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Ana Roqué's Early Life
Ana Roqué Geigel was born in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. She loved books and could write by the age of three! Her mother died when Ana was only four. Her father, aunt, and grandmother, who were all teachers, raised her.
In 1860, when Ana was seven, she went to a regular school and finished two years later. She kept learning at home. By 1864, at just eleven years old, she became the youngest teacher's helper in Puerto Rico. In 1866, at age 13, she started her own school at home. She even wrote a geography book for her students, which the Department of Education later used. She also passed her exams to get her official teacher's license.
A Pioneer in Public Libraries
In 1872, Ana married Luis Duprey, a wealthy landowner. They had five children, and three of them lived to adulthood: Luis Enrique, Borinquen, and America.
The family moved to San Juan, the capital. There, Ana became the first woman allowed into the Puerto Rican Athenaeum. She was also the first woman to become a member of the Public Library. In her free time, she enjoyed writing music. In 1880, her husband died, and she raised their young children.
Author and Publisher
In 1884, Ana Roqué became a teacher in Arecibo. She also studied philosophy and science at the Provincial Institute, earning her bachelor's degree. In 1899, she became the head of the Normal School in San Juan.
In 1898, Ana started La Mujer (The Woman), the first magazine in Puerto Rico just for women. She also wrote articles for newspapers like El Buscapie, El Imparcial, and El Mundo. She founded other magazines too, such as La Evolucion (1902), La Mujer del Siglo XX (1907), Album Puertorriqueño (1918), and Heraldo de la Mujer (1920).
Ana wrote several books, both fiction and non-fiction. Some of her books include Sara, La Obrera, and Luz y Sombra. Her book Puerto Rican Flora, about plants, won an award. Ana also loved astronomy and became an honorary member of a famous astronomy group in Paris.
In the early 1900s, Ana began a big study called Botánica Antillana. This project looked at over 6,000 types of Caribbean plants. She drew colorful pictures and wrote about their medicinal and farming uses.
Helping Start Universities
In 1902, Ana Roqué started a teachers' academy in her home. She taught students and helped them prepare for their teacher exams. Because of her strong interest in education, Ana helped found the Liceo Ponceño (a high school for girls in Ponce) and the College of Mayagüez. The College of Mayagüez later became the Mayagüez Campus of the University of Puerto Rico. She also helped start the University of Puerto Rico campus in San Juan.
Fighting for Women's Rights
In 1917, Ana Roqué and other professional women created the Puerto Rican Feminist League. This was the first group in Puerto Rico focused on women's rights. By 1921, the group changed its name to the Suffragist Social League and focused on voting rights.
By 1924, some women in the group had different ideas. Ana Roqué then led her followers to start the Association of Women Suffragists. They fought for all women to have the right to vote, without any special rules like needing to read or have money. The first part of this right was approved in 1932. By 1935, all women of voting age in Puerto Rico could vote!
Legacy and Honors
In 1932, the University of Puerto Rico gave Ana Roqué an honorary doctorate degree. This is a special award for her great achievements. She was also named the honorary president of the Puerto Rican Liberal Party.
Ana Roqué Géigel de Duprey passed away in 1933 in Río Piedras. Many places honor her life. A high school in Humacao, Puerto Rico and a street in San Juan are named after her. There is also an elementary school in Chicago, Illinois, named in her honor.
In 2020, Ana Roqué was recognized by the National Women's History Alliance. This means her important work is remembered and celebrated.
See Also
In Spanish: Ana Roque de Duprey para niños
- List of Puerto Ricans
- French immigration to Puerto Rico
- History of women in Puerto Rico
