Random Article Summary #62

Dr. Antonio S. Pedreira was a Puerto Rican writer and educator. He was born on June 13, 1899, and passed away on October 23, 1939. Antonio S. Pedreira, born into a wealthy family in San Juan, was raised by his godparents in Caguas after both his parents passed away. He developed a passion for writing stories as a child and further pursued his education at the University of Puerto Rico, obtaining his teacher's certificate. Pedreira went to New York City in 1920 to study medicine but dropped out due to financial problems and experiencing discrimination. He returned to Puerto Rico where he received a scholarship to attend the University of Puerto Rico, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1925, a master's degree in Letters in 1928, and a doctorate in Philosophy and Letters in 1932 from the Central University of Madrid in Spain. He then returned to Puerto Rico. Antonio S. Pedreira was a professor of Spanish literature at the University of Puerto Rico and Columbia University. He was named Director of the Department of Hispanic Studies at the University of Puerto Rico and expressed his concerns about Puerto Rico losing its cultural identity through his newspaper column and magazine. Pedreira also extensively studied the works of Eugenio María de Hostos. Insularismo is a book written by Antonio S. Pedreira in 1934 that discusses the cultural identity of Puerto Rico and how it was impacted by the United States' invasion of the island. Pedreira explores the influences of Spanish, Taino, and African cultures on Puerto Rican identity and discusses the survival of this identity.