Why Is Artur Arturo Alfonso Schomburg Important

“Our culture, our traditions, our language are the foundations upon which we build our identity (Ana Flores & Roxana Soto).” When we are willing to put effort in understanding Hispanic/Latino identity it shows that we are open minded. This is important because learning to accept and celebrate the positives of their culture shows that we acknowledge and respect them. Acknowledging that there is more than one way to approach life, is one way of uniting and helping humanity thrive. Arturo Alfonso Schomburg, a Puerto Rican historian, writer, and Afro-Latino activist helped bring recognition to the contributions that Afro-Latin Americans and Afro-Americans made to society. He understood the importance of being open minded and helping his people.
Arturo Alfonso Schomburg was born January 24,1874 in the town of Santurce, Puerto Rico.
He was an activist in the liberation movements of Puerto Rico and Cuba. To help the island's independence,he founded a cultural and political group called the Las dos Antillas. But soon after Cuba’s revolution collapsed and Puerto-Rico was yielded to the U.S. He then turned his attention to the African American community but while he was in school he was told by one of his teachers that blacks made no accomplishments and that we had no history. With this in mind he was inspired to prove that her statement was false by collecting books, manuscripts, etchings, and memorabilia related to the history of black people. His Collection of Negro Literature and Art was housed at the 135th Street Branch of the New York Public Library and Schomburg was appointed curator of the collection. He should be acknowledged because by sharing the collection to the public, he shed light on black history and gave black people the opportunity to learn about their
culture. In addition to the library, Schomburg co-founded the Negro Society for Historical Research with John Edward Bruce. The Negro Society for Historical Research was made to be an institute to create intellectual efforts and for the first time it brought African, West Indian, and Afro-American scholars together. Schomburg later became the President of the American Negro Academy, which taught black history and literature. Schomburg once told a scholar, “What you’re calling African history, Negro history, are the missing pages of World history.” This is important because this inspired many to continue their studies in African history.
Another example of when he showed open-mindedness was when he became involved in the Harlem Renaissance, his collection was made available to millions of blacks from the United States, the Caribbean, and Africa. He once said that “The American Negro must remake his past in order to make his future.” This is important because his collection helped create an artistic and intellectual atmosphere for blacks, and it also encouraged scholarships for other African Americans all over the US. The determination of blacks in Harlem from across the US and Caribbean led to a growth in arts, intellectual and political movements.
Arturo Alfonso Schomburg understood the importance of being open minded and helping his people. He helped blacks from all over the world come together and learn their history. He also sought to improve the communities of Afro-Latinos and Afro-Americans and his work served as an inspiration to Puerto Ricans, Latinos and Afro-American alike.