List of Afro–Puerto Ricans facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Arturo Alfonso Schomburg

José Celso Barbosa

Juan Morel Campos

Juano Hernández

This is a list of amazing people from Puerto Rico who have African roots. These individuals have made a big impact in many areas, like sports, music, art, and science. Some were born in Puerto Rico, and others live in the United States. This list helps us celebrate their important contributions and learn about their stories.

Famous Afro-Puerto Ricans
See also

Famous Afro-Puerto Ricans

This section highlights some of the many notable Afro-Puerto Ricans and their achievements.

Artists and Entertainers

Carlos Alomar - A talented guitarist who has worked with many famous musicians.
Alani "La La" Anthony - An entertainer and actress, also known as an MTV VJ.
Rick Avilés - An actor and comedian.
Jean-Michel Basquiat - A very famous painter known for his unique art style.
Ángela Bofill - A wonderful jazz and R&B singer.
Juan Boria - A poet who wrote beautiful Afro-Caribbean poems.
Irene Cara - A singer and actress, famous for her powerful voice.
Rafael Cepeda - A folk musician and composer, known for his Afro-Puerto Rican folk music, especially bomba.
Jesús Colón - A writer and political figure, often called the "father of the Nuyorican Movement".
Ismael Cruz Córdova - An actor who played Mando on Sesame Street.
Rafael Cortijo - A percussionist, bandleader, and composer known for plena music.
Antonio Fargas - An actor famous for his roles in 1970s movies.
José "Cheo" Feliciano - A singer and composer of "salsa" and bolero music.
Ruth Fernández - A singer and actress, the first Latina singer of romantic music to perform in Scandinavian countries.
Juano Hernández - An actor, one of the first Afro-Puerto Ricans to become a major star in the U.S.
Rafael Hernández Marín - A musician, bandleader, and composer who wrote thousands of songs, including Lamento Borincano.
Rafael Ithier - A salsa musician and the main founder of the very successful orchestra El Gran Combo.
Rafael José - An actor, singer, and television host.
Sonia Manzano - An actress, known for her role on Sesame Street.
Rogelio Mills - A television host.
Ivy Queen - A reggaetón artist, often called the "Queen of Reggaetón."
Carmen Belén Richardson - An actress and comedian, a pioneer of Puerto Rican television.
Ismael Rivera - A famous salsa artist and singer.
Naya Rivera - A singer and actress.
Aida Rodríguez - A comedian and actress.
Pete "El Conde" Rodríguez - A salsa singer.
Zoé Saldaña - A well-known actress.
Rubén Santiago-Hudson - An actor and playwright.
Pedro Telemaco - The first Black actor to be a leading man in a Puerto Rican telenovela.
Piri Thomas - A writer, author of Down These Mean Streets.
Rafael Tufiño - A painter and printmaker, known as the "Painter of the People."
Lauren Vélez - An actress.
Loraine Vélez - An actress.
Christina Vidal - An actress.
Lisa Vidal - An actress.
Sylvia del Villard - An actress, dancer, choreographer, and political activist.
Otilio "Bizcocho" Warrington - A comedian and actor.

Sports Stars

Kellyn Acosta - A professional soccer player.
Carmelo Anthony - A famous former professional basketball player.
Wilfred Benítez - A boxer who won world championships in three different weight divisions. He was also the youngest world champion in boxing history.
Iván M. Calderón - A professional boxer.
Iván P. Calderón - A Major League Baseball player.
Jasmine Camacho-Quinn - An Olympic gold medalist and record holder in the 110-meter hurdles.
Orlando "Peruchín" Cepeda - A baseball player inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Pedro "Perucho" Cepeda - A baseball player, considered one of the greatest players of his time. He was Orlando's father.
Nero Chen - A professional boxer.
Roberto Clemente Walker - A legendary baseball player, the first Latin American to be selected for the Hall of Fame.
Roberto Clemente, Jr. - A baseball broadcaster and former baseball player, son of Roberto Clemente.
Carlitos Colón - A former professional wrestler.
Carly Colón - A professional wrestler, son of Carlitos Colón.
Maritza Correia - The first Afro-Puerto Rican to be on the USA Olympic swimming team. She was also the first Black U.S. swimmer to set an American and world swimming record.
Eva Cruz - A volleyball player.
Víctor Cruz - A former NFL wide receiver for the New York Giants.
Javier Culson - A track and field runner, an Olympic bronze medalist in the 400 metre hurdles.
Carlos Delgado - A baseball player, known as a Major League Baseball first baseman.
Thomas Dulorme - A professional boxer.
Nino Escalera - A baseball player, the first Hispanic player for the Cincinnati Reds.
Ángel Espada - A boxer who was the WBA's world Welterweight champion in 1975-76.
Jaime Espinal - A professional wrestler.
Rubén Gómez - A Major League Baseball pitcher, the first Puerto Rican to pitch in a World Series game.
Herbert Lewis Hardwick, also known as "Cocoa Kid" - A boxer who won world championships and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Yvonne Harrison - A track and field runner.
Aaron Hernandez - A former American football player.
Homicide - A professional wrestler.
Reginald Martínez Jackson - A Hall of Fame baseball player, known as "Mr. October."
Esteban De Jesús - A boxer, the first to defeat Roberto Durán.
Benjamín LaGuer - A U.S. soldier.
Alfred Lee - A basketball player, the first Puerto Rican to play in the NBA and win an NBA championship.
Ryan López - A footballer.
Jan Mateo - A footballer.
Jerome Mincy - A basketball player.
Emilio "Millito" Navarro - A baseball player, the first Puerto Rican to play baseball in the Negro leagues.
Osvaldo "Ossie" Ocasio - A boxer.
Fres Oquendo - A professional heavyweight boxer.
Anita Ortega - A former athlete, inducted into several Halls of Fame.
Edwin Pellot - A retired basketball player.
Víctor Pellot - A baseball player, the second Black Puerto Rican to play in Major League Baseball.
Miguel José Pérez Sr. - A former wrestler.
Miguel José Pérez Jr. - A professional wrestler, son of Miguel José Pérez Sr.
Heliot Ramos - A professional baseball player.
Henry Ramos - A professional baseball player.
Héctor Ramos - A footballer.
Johnny Rodríguez - A wrestler.
O. J. Santiago - An NFL football player, a tight end.
Brandon Servania - A footballer.
Jaden Servania - A footballer.
Rubén Sierra - A former Major League Baseball player.
Tasha Steelz - A professional wrestler.
Georgie Torres - A basketball player who holds a scoring record in the BSN league of Puerto Rico.
José "Chegüi" Torres - A boxer, a light heavyweight champion, inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame.
Félix "Tito" Trinidad - A professional boxer and world boxing champion.
Juan Evangelista Venegas - A boxer, the first Puerto Rican to win an Olympic medal.
Bernie Williams - A former Major League Baseball outfielder and a professional jazz musician.

Leaders and Thinkers

Dr. José Celso Barbosa - A medical physician, sociologist, and political leader of Puerto Rico. He was the first Puerto Rican with a U.S. medical degree.
Dr. Pilar Barbosa - An educator, historian, and political activist.
Pura Belpré - The first Puerto Rican librarian in New York City.
Dr. Ramón Emeterio Betances - A doctor, abolitionist (someone who wanted to end slavery), revolutionary, poet, and independence advocate. He is known as "El Padre de la Patria" (Father of the Nation).
Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos - A politician and former leader of the Nationalist Party of Puerto Rico, which worked for independence.
José Campeche - A Puerto Rican artist known for his rococo style.
Dr. José Ferrer Canales - An educator, writer, and political activist who supported independence.
Celestina Cordero - An educator who started the first school for girls in San Juan.
Rafael Cordero - Known as the "father of public education in Puerto Rico." He taught children for free, no matter their race. He was Celestina Cordero's brother.
Wilson Cruz - An actor and advocate for gay youth of color.
Neil Degrasse Tyson - A famous astrophysicist.
Rubén Díaz, Jr. - A politician, the current NYC borough president for the Bronx.
Rubén Díaz, Sr. - A politician.
Dr. Loida Figueroa - A historian, writer, educator, and one of the founders of a pro-independence movement.
Rogelio Figueroa - An engineer, politician, and president of the Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico Party.
Edward W. Hardy - A composer, violinist, violist, producer, and actor.
Keylla Hernández - A television reporter and former co-anchor of a morning news show.
Aideliz Hidalgo - The first Black woman to compete in the Miss International beauty pageant as Miss Puerto Rico.
Erick Kolthoff - An Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico.
Tato Laviera - A poet.
Enrique A. Laguerre - A novelist and newspaper columnist.
Felipe Luciano - A poet, radio personality, and pro-independence activist.
Eddie Manso - A politician, the current mayor of Loíza.
Michelle Marie Colón - The first Black woman to compete in the Miss Universe beauty pageant as Miss Puerto Rico.
Denise Oliver-Vélez - An activist, community organizer, professor, feminist, and former member of the Young Lords and the Black Panther Party.
Willie Perdomo - A poet and writer.
Reagan Gomez-Preston - An American television, film, and voice actress.
Ernesto Ramos Antonini - President of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico and a co-founder of the "Partido Popular Democrático de Puerto Rico" (Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico).
Pedro Rosa Nales - A journalist and news anchor/reporter who has received many awards.
Mayra Santos-Febres - A writer, poet, essayist, screenwriter, and college professor.
Arturo Alfonso Schomburg - A historian, writer, and activist who researched and shared information about Afro-Latin American and African American history.
Marcelo Trujillo - A politician, the current mayor of Humacao.
Marcos Xiorro - A slave who planned a revolt for freedom in 1821 against the Spanish Colonial government in Puerto Rico.

Musicians and Rappers

Andres "Dres" Vargas Titus - The lead rapper of the alternative hip hop duo Black Sheep.
Randy Ariel Ortiz Acevedo - A reggaetón artist, part of the duo "Jowell y Randy."
David Luciano Acosta - A reggaetón artist, known as "Baby Ranks."
Ángel Aguilar - A rapper.
Cayetano "Tite" Curet Alonso - A composer who wrote over 2,000 salsa songs.
Lloyd Banks - A rapper.
Víctor Cabrera - A reggaetón artist and producer, part of the duo "Luny Tunes."
Tego Calderón - A reggaetón artist.
Juan Morel Campos - A composer of danza music.
Maidel Amador Canales - A reggaetón artist, known as "La Sista."
Eddie Dee - A reggaetón artist.
Lucy Fabery - A jazz singer, known as "La Muñeca de Chocolate."
Pedro Flores - A composer of ballads and boleros.
Kevin Gates - A rapper.
Reagan Gómez-Preston - An actress.
Young M.A - An American hip hop artist.
Syesha Mercado - A singer.
Rico Nasty - A rapper.
Don Omar - A reggaetón artist.
Claudette Ortiz - A model and R&B singer.
Gabriel "Lennox" Pizarro - A reggaetón artist, part of the duo 'Zion y Lennox.'
Adolfo Quiñones - An actor, dancer, and choreographer.
Adolfo "OG Black" Ramírez - A reggaetón artist, part of the duo "Master Joe & OG Black."
Lance Rivera - A film director, film producer, and record executive.
Víctor Santiago, Jr. - A rapper, known by the stage name "N.O.R.E."
Rafael "Lito" Sierra - A reggaetón artist, part of the duo "Lito y Polaco."
Daniel "Divino" Velázquez - A reggaetón artist.
Pedro Zayas - A rapper, known as "Peedi Crakk."