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'[[File:Juan_pablo_duarte_diez.jpg|thumb|right|Juan Pablo Duarte, Oil portrait by the Dominican painter Abelardo Rodríguez Urdaneta.]] '''Juan Pablo Duarte''' (January 26, 1813 – July 15, 1876)<ref name="Juan Pablo Duarte Biography">{{cite web |url=http://www.biography.com/articles/Juan-Pablo-Duarte-40045 |title=Juan Pablo Duarte Biography |publisher=Biography.com |accessdate=2010-07-26 |year=2010 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100911085322/http://www.biography.com/articles/Juan-Pablo-Duarte-40045 |archivedate=2010-09-11 |df= }}</ref> was a Dominican writer, activist, poet, military leader and [[Liberalism|liberal]] politician who was one of the "founding fathers" of the [[Dominican Republic]]. As one of the most celebrated figures in [[Dominican history]], Duarte is considered a [[folk hero]] and revolutionary visionary in the modern Dominican Republic, who along with [[Francisco del Rosario Sánchez]] and [[Matías Ramón Mella]], organized and promoted the movement, a secret society known as [[La Trinitaria (Dominican Republic)|La Trinitaria]], that eventually led to the Dominican revolt and independence from [[Haiti]]an rule in 1844 and the start of a decennial [[Dominican War of Independence]]. Duarte helped inspire and finance the [[Dominican War of Independence]], paying a heavy toll which would eventually ruin him financially. His liberal views made him a controversial figure among conservative and powerful [[People of the Dominican Republic|Dominicans]] of the time, and he was exiled on numerous occasions after the founding of the new nation. His [[classical liberalism|liberal]] views went against the conservative elites who sought for heavy-handed control of the nation, and wanted to maintain the traditional regionalisms of the past. Duarte had strong disagreements with the republic's first president, [[Pedro Santana]], as Santana was a tyrannical figure. Ultimately, Duarte would spend many years away from the nation he helped shape and would die in exile, which made him a political martyr in the eyes of subsequent generations. == Early years== Duarte was born on 26 January 1813 in [[Santo Domingo]], [[Captaincy General of Santo Domingo]]<ref name="Juan Pablo Duarte Biography"/> during the period commonly called ''[[España Boba]]''. In his memoirs, the trinitarian José María Serra de Castro described Duarte as a man with a rosy complexion, thin lips, blue eyes, and a [[blond hair|golden hair]] that contrasted with his thick, dark moustache.<ref>{{cite book|last1={{Smallcaps|Serra}}|first1=José María|authorlink1=José María Serra de Castro|title=Apuntes para la historia de los trinitarios|date=1887|publisher=Imprenta García Hermanos|location=Santo Domingo}}</ref> Duarte was born into a middle-class family that was dedicated to maritime trade and hardware in the port area of Santo Domingo.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com.pr/books?id=NLPrMMKmynwC&pg=PA148&dq=%22Juan+Pablo+Duarte%22+%22middle+class%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjFi6DozPXdAhWK71MKHVjHBNMQ6AEIMzAC#v=onepage&q=%22Juan%20Pablo%20Duarte%22%20%22middle%20class%22&f=false|title=Notable Caribbeans and Caribbean Americans: A Biographical Dictionary|last=Mendez Mendez|first=Serafin|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|year=2003|isbn=0313314438|location=|pages=148|chapter=Juan Pablo Duarte}}</ref> His father was Juan José Duarte Rodríguez, a [[Peninsulars|Peninsular]] from [[Vejer de la Frontera]], [[Kingdom of Seville]], Spain, and his mother was Manuela Díez Jiménez from [[El Seibo (city)|El Seibo]], Captaincy General of Santo Domingo; three of Duarte's grandparents were Europeans.{{efn|His paternal grandparents were Manuel Duarte Jiménez and Ana María Rodríguez de Tapia, both from [[Vejer de la Frontera]] (Kingdom of Seville, Spain). His maternal grandparents were Antonio Díez Baillo, from [[Osorno la Mayor]] (Province of Toro, Spain), and Rufina Jiménez Benítez, who was born in [[El Seibo (city)|El Seybo]] (Captaincy General of Santo Domingo, New Spain).<ref name=Genealog>{{cite web|last1=González Hernández|first1=Julio Amable|title=Los ancestros de Juan Pablo Duarte|url=http://www.idg.org.do/capsulas/octubre2004/octubre200423.htm|publisher=Instituto Dominicano de Genealogía|accessdate=6 January 2015|ref= |work=Cápsulas Genealógicas en Areíto|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120712032057/http://www.idg.org.do/capsulas/octubre2004/octubre200423.htm|archivedate=12 July 2012|language=Spanish|date=23 October 2015}}</ref>}} Duarte had 9 siblings: his eldest brother, [[Vicente Celestino Duarte]] (1802–1865), a tall, long-haired brunette man, was a store owner, woodcutter and cattle rancher who was born in [[Mayagüez, Puerto Rico]]; one of Duarte's sisters was [[Rosa Duarte|Rosa Protomártir Duarte]] (1820–1888), a [[Performing arts|performer]] who collaborated with him within the Independence movement. In 1802 the Duarte family migrated from Santo Domingo to [[Mayagüez, Puerto Rico]].<ref>[http://www.colonialzone-dr.com/people_history-Duarte.html www.colonialzone-dr.com]</ref> They were evading the unrest caused by the Haitian Revolution in the island. Many Dominican families left the island during this period.<ref>{{Cite book | title = Las emigraciones Dominicanas a Cuba, 1795-1808. | last = Deive | first = Carlos Esteban | publisher = Fundación Cultural Dominicana | year = 1989 | isbn = | location = Santo Domingo | pages = }}</ref> [[Toussaint Louverture]], governor of [[Saint-Domingue]] (now [[Haiti]]), a former colony of France located on the western third of Hispaniola,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/266962/Hispaniola |title=Hispaniola Article |publisher=Britannica.com |accessdate=4 January 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://cardiostart.org/blog/ |title=Dominican Republic 2014 |accessdate=24 April 2014}}</ref> arrived to the capital of Santo Domingo, located on the island's eastern two-thirds, the previous year and proclaimed the end of slavery (although the changes were not permanent). At the time, France and Saint-Domingue (the western third of the island), were going through exhaustive social movements, namely, the [[French Revolution]] and the [[Haitian Revolution]]. In occupying the Spanish side of the island L'Ouverture was using as a pretext the previous agreements between the governments of France and Spain in the [[Peace of Basel]] signed in 1795, which had given the Spanish area to France. Upon arrival in Santo Domingo, Louverture immediately sought to abolish [[slavery]] in Dominican territory, although complete abolition of slavery in Santo Domingo came with renewed Haitian presence in early 1822. Puerto Rico was still a Spanish colony, and Mayagüez, being so close to Hispaniola, just across the [[Mona Passage]], had become a refuge for wealthy migrants from Santo Domingo like the Duartes and other native born on the Spanish side who did not accept Haitian rule. Most scholars assume that the Duartes' first son, Vicente Celestino, was born here at this time on the eastern side of the Mona Passage. The family returned to Santo Domingo in 1809, however, after the [[Spanish reconquest of Santo Domingo]]. In 1819, Duarte enrolled in Manuel Aybar's school where he learned reading, writing, grammar and arithmetic. He was a disciple of Dr. [[Juan Vicente Moscoso]] from whom he obtained his higher education in Latin, philosophy and law, due to the closure of the university by the Haitian authorities. After the exile of Dr. Moscoso to Cuba, his role was continued by the priest [[Gaspar Hernández]]. {{ahnentafel |collapsed=yes |align=center |boxstyle_1=background-color: #fcc; |boxstyle_2=background-color: #fb9; |boxstyle_3=background-color: #ffc; |boxstyle_4=background-color: #bfc; |boxstyle_5=background-color: #9fe; |boxstyle_6=background-color: #ffb; | 1= 1. '''Juan Pablo Duarte Díez''' | 2= 2. {{Flagicon|ESP}} Juan José Duarte Rodríguez | 3= 3. Manuela Díez Jiménez | 4= 4. {{Flagicon|ESP}} Manuel Duarte Jiménez | 5= 5. {{Flagicon|ESP}} Ana María Rodríguez de Tapia | 6= 6. {{Flagicon|ESP}} Antonio Díez Baillo | 7= 7. Rufina Jiménez Benítez | 8= 8. {{Flagicon|ESP}} Cristóbal Duarte Gil | 9= 9. {{Flagicon|ESP}} Catalina Jiménez |10= 10. {{Flagicon|ESP}} Juan Rodríguez |11= 11. {{Flagicon|ESP}} Tomasa de Tapia |12= 12. {{Flagicon|ESP}} Agustín Díez Rojo |13= 13. {{Flagicon|ESP}} Ángela Baillo Fernández |14= 14. Manuel Jiménez de Reyna |15= 15. Lorenza Benítez Vásquez |16= 16. {{Flagicon|ESP}} José Duarte |17= 17. {{Flagicon|ESP}} Catalina Gil |18= 18. {{Flagicon|ESP}} Andrés Rodríguez |19= 19. {{Flagicon|ESP}} Beatriz García |24= 24. {{Flagicon|ESP}} José Díez |25= 25. {{Flagicon|ESP}} Juana Rojo |26= 26. {{Flagicon|ESP}} Tomás Baillo |27= 27. {{Flagicon|ESP}} Magdalena Fernández |28= 28. Manuel Jiménez Badillo |29= 29. Petronila de Reyna |30= 30. Juan Benítez |31= 31. Francisca Vásquez |footnotes= '''Source:''' Dominican Institute of Genealogy<ref name=Genealog/> }} ==The struggle for independence == [[File:Trinitarios.jpeg|thumb|right|150px|[[La Trinitaria (Dominican Republic)|La Trinitaria]] was the organizer of the formation and independence of the Dominican Republic.]] In December 1821, when Duarte was eight years old, members of a [[Creole class|Creole elite]] of Santo Domingo's capital proclaimed its independence from Spanish rule, calling themselves ''[[Spanish Haiti|Haití Español]]''. Historians today call this elite's brief courtship with sovereignty the [[Republic of Spanish Haiti|Ephemeral Independence]]. The most prominent leader of the coup against Spanish colonial government was one of its former supporters, [[José Núñez de Cáceres]]. These individuals were tired of being ignored by the Crown, and some were also concerned with the new liberal turn in [[Madrid]]. Their deed was not an isolated event. The 1820s was a time of profound political changes throughout the entire Spanish [[Atlantic World]], which affected directly the lives of [[petite bourgeoisie]] like the Duartes. It began with the conflictive period between Spanish [[royalist]]s and liberals in the [[Iberian Peninsula]], which is known today as the ''[[Trienio Liberal]]''. American patriots in arms, like [[Simón Bolívar]] in South America, immediately reaped the fruits of Spain's destabilization, and began pushing back colonial troops. Even conservative elites in [[New Spain]] (like [[Agustín de Iturbide]] in [[Mexico]]), who had no intention of being ruled by Spanish anticlericals, moved to break ties with the crown in Spain. [[File:Retrato_Juan_Pablo_Duarte.jpeg|thumb|right|150px|Oil portrait of Juan Pablo Duarte. Exact replica of the only photograph that is preserved of him.]] Many others in Santo Domingo wanted independence from Spain for reasons much closer to home. Inspired by the revolution and independence on the island, Dominicans mounted a number of different movements and conspiracies in the period from 1809-1821 against slavery and colonialism.<ref>{{Cite web | url = https://www.academia.edu/6955496/El_Sonido_de_la_libertad_30_a%C3%B1os_de_agitaciones_y_conspiraciones_en_Santo_Domingo_1791-1821 | title = El sonido de la libertad | last = Lora Hugi | first = Quisqueya | date = | website = | publisher = | access-date = }}</ref> Several towns asked for Haiti to help with Dominican independence weeks before the experiment of ''[[Spanish Haiti|Haití Español]]'' even began.<ref>{{Cite book | title = Notes on Haiti made during a residence in that republic | last = Mackenzie | first = Charles | publisher = Henry Coleburn and Richard Bentley | year = 1830 | isbn = | location = London | pages = 235 }}</ref> The Cáceres provisional government requested support from Simón Bolivar's new government, but their petition was ignored given the internal conflicts of the [[Gran Colombia]].<ref>{{cita web |url=http://elnacional.com.do/venezuela-tiene-deuda-historica-con-haiti/ |title=Venezuela tiene deuda histórica con Haití}}</ref> Meanwhile, a plan for unification with Haiti grew stronger. Haitian politicians wanted to keep the island out of the hands of European imperial powers and thus a way to safeguard the Haitian Revolution {{Citation needed|date=March 2013}}. Haiti's President [[Jean-Pierre Boyer]] sent an army that took over the eastern portion of Hispaniola. Haiti then abolished slavery there once and for all, and occupied and absorbed Santo Domingo into the Republic of Haiti. Struggles between Boyer and the old colonial helped produce a migration of planters and elite. It also led to the closing of the university. Following the bourgeoisie custom of sending promising sons abroad for education, the Duartes sent Juan Pablo to the United States and Europe in 1828 {{Citation needed|date=March 2013}}. [[Image:Duarte Sq statue jeh.JPG|thumb|100px|Statue of Duarte in [[Juan Pablo Duarte Square]], New York City]] On July 16, 1838, Duarte and others established a secret patriotic society called [[La Trinitaria (Dominican Republic)|La Trinitaria]], which helped undermine Haitian occupation. Some of its first members included Juan Isidro Pérez, Pedro Alejandro Pina, Jacinto de la Concha, Félix María Ruiz, José María Serra, Benito González, Felipe Alfau, and Juan Nepomuceno Ravelo. Later, Duarte and others founded a society called ''La Filantrópica'', which had a more public presence, seeking to spread veiled ideas of liberation through theatrical stages. All of this, along with the help of many who wanted to be rid of the Haitians who ruled over Dominicans led to the proclamation of independence on February 27, 1844 ([[Dominican War of Independence]]). However, Duarte had already been exiled to [[Caracas]], Venezuela the previous year for his insurgent conduct. He continued to correspond with members of his family and members of the independence movement {{Citation needed|date=March 2013}}. Independence could not be denied and after many struggles, the Dominican Republic was born. A republican form of government was established where a free people would hold ultimate power and, through the voting process, would give rise to a democracy where every citizen would, in theory, be equal and free. Duarte was supported by many as a candidate for the presidency of the new-born Republic. Mella wanted Duarte to simply declare himself president. Duarte never giving up on the principles of democracy and fairness by which he lived, would only accept if voted in by a majority of the Dominican people {{Citation needed|date=March 2013}}. Duarte had a definite concept of the Dominican nation and its members. His conception of a republic was that of a [[Republicanism|republican]], [[anticolonial]], [[liberalism|liberal]] and [[progressivism|progressive]] patriot. At that time he drafted a draft [[constitution]] that clearly states that the Dominican flag can shelter all races, without excluding or giving predominance to any. However, the forces of those favoring Spanish sovereignty as protection from continued Haitian threats and invasions, led by general [[Pedro Santana]], a large landowner from the eastern lowlands, took over and exiled Duarte. In 1845, Santana exiled the entire Duarte family. After more but unsuccessful Haitian invasions, internal disorder, and his and others’ misrule, Santana turned the country back into a colony of Spain in 1861, was awarded the hereditary title of Marquess of [[Battle of Las Carreras|Las Carreras]] by the Spanish Queen [[Isabella II]], and died in 1864. Duarte's family in Venezuela did not do too badly, they lived and worked in an affluent area.{{Citation needed|date=January 2019}} Duarte's cousin Manuel Diez became Vice President of the country and helped shelter his kinsman.{{Citation needed|date=January 2019}} Duarte's family was known to produce candles, this was a major retail and wholesale product since light bulbs for lighting had not been invented yet. While not luxuriously rich an income was available for the Duarte's. {{Citation needed|date=January 2019}} Juan Pablo being a man of action as well of a high level of curiosity went off to live in the [[Venezuela]], there he had some contacts and he made off to meet with them. The Venezuela of this period was wracked by a series of civil wars and internal dissensions. Duarte even though he and his family were already by this time residents of the country, still felt ambivalent about openly participating in the country's political life, all this despite the fact that the aforementioned cousin [[Manuel Antonio Díez]] from the Vice Presidency, went on to become President of Venezuela in an Ad Tempore capacity. Duarte travels in Venezuela involved studying the indigenous people's and learning from the black and mulatto communities as well as observing as much as he could of the Venezuela of his time. Duarte was an extremely educated man, fluent in many languages, he was a former soldier and teacher. These abilities helped him survive and thrive in those places he travelled. It also marked him as an outsider, since he came from a caribbean country he probably sounded much different than most of the Spanish speakers around him.{{Citation needed|date=January 2019}} However Santo Domingo and the Republic that he had helped father were also highly likely always close to his heart and his mind. So he was very much a man divided, excited and deeply moved by the current surroundings, people's and events around him, however very much thinking about his beloved land and people whom he sacrificed so much for. A man in a contemplative mood, wounded by the drastic expulsion such as he suffered, would have very little time for a long term wife, children or true stability. [[File:Juan Pablo Duarte.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Only known photo of Juan Pablo Duarte. Taken by the Venezuelan photographer Prospero Agustín Rey Medrero in Venezuela, in 1873.]] Duarte, then living in Venezuela, was made the Dominican Consul and provided with a pension to honor him for his sacrifice. But even this after some time was not honored and he lost commission and pension. He, Juan Pablo Duarte, the poet, philosopher, writer, actor, soldier, general, dreamer and hero died nobly in [[Caracas]]<ref name="Juan Pablo Duarte Biography"/> at the age of 63. His remains were transferred to Dominican soil in 1884—ironically, by president and dictator [[Ulises Heureaux]], and given a proper burial with full honors. He is entombed in a beautiful mausoleum, the [[Altar de la Patria]], at the Count's Gate ([[Puerta del Conde]]), alongside Sanchez and Mella, who at that spot fired the rifle shot that propelled them into legend. ==Legacy and honors== [[File:Juan Pablo Duarte memorial, Roger Williams Park, Providence, Rhode Island - medium view.jpg|thumb|right|Juan Pablo Duarte memorial, Roger Williams Park, Providence, Rhode Island]] * Duarte's birth is commemorated by Dominicans every January 26. * A memorial to Duarte stands in [[Roger Williams Park]] in Providence, Rhode Island<ref>{{cite web|title=Historic Figure: Juan Pablo Duarte - Providence, RI|url=http://tm01001.blogspot.com/2016/11/historic-figure-juan-pablo-duarte.html|website=Photo-Ops|accessdate=19 April 2017|date=14 November 2016}}</ref> * A bronze statue to Duarte was erected at the intersection of 6th Avenue and Canal Street in New York City in 1978.<ref>{{cite web|title=Duarte Square|url=https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/duarte-square/monuments/414|website=NYC Parks|publisher=NYC Parks Department|accessdate=19 April 2017}}</ref> * [[St. Nicholas Avenue]] in Manhattan is co-named Juan Pablo Duarte Boulevard from Amsterdam Avenue and West 162nd Street to the intersection of West 193rd Street and Fort George Hill.<ref>{{cite press release |publisher=New York City Mayor's Office |date=February 22, 2000 |title=Mayor Giuliani Signs Bill That Names Section of St. Nicholas Avenue in Honor of Juan Pablo Duarte |url=http://www.nyc.gov/html/om/html/2000a/pr062-00.html |accessdate=2010-05-29}}</ref> ==See also== *[[History of the Dominican Republic]] ==Notes== {{notelist}} ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *{{Country study |country=Dominican Republic |abbr=do |editor=Haggerty, Richard A. |date=1989 |section=Haiti and Santo Domingo |pd=no }} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Duarte, Juan Pablo}} [[Category:1813 births]] [[Category:1876 deaths]] [[Category:People from Santo Domingo]] [[Category:Dominican Republic people of Spanish descent]] [[Category:19th-century Dominican Republic poets]] [[Category:Dominican Republic male poets]] [[Category:Caribbean writers]] [[Category:History of the Dominican Republic]] [[Category:Duarte Province]] [[Category:People of the Dominican War of Independence]] [[Category:19th-century male writers]] [[Category:Dominican Republic emigrants to Venezuela]] [[Category:Flag designers]] [[Category:Independence activists]]'