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Congressman Charles B. Rangel released the following statement on the occasion of the 194th anniversary of the birth of Juan Pablo Duarte, the founding father of the Dominican Republic.
Today is a special day for all people of Dominican descent because it marks the birth of one of their greatest champions of liberty, Juan Pablo Duarte. Born in 1813, the European-educated Duarte returned to his country to spark their independence movement.
Duarte joined forces with Ramón Matías Mella, Francisco del Rosario Sanchez and others to form La Trinitaria, a secret society that pushed for self-rule. Like this country's George Washington, Duarte was a role model for democracy, a man who's expression of and commitment to the ideals of self-determination is still an inspiration to his country today.
While history's misfortunes never did allow Duarte to take the reigns of his nation's government like Washington, he never stopped fighting for the freedom of the Dominican people. When the Spanish crown took over the island again in the mid 18th century, he returned from exile in Venezuela to help restore the country's sovereignty. He was considered such a national hero that when he died in 1879, he was given full state honors upon his burial in Santo Domingo.
The honors to Duarte are numerous -- a national holiday in the DR, medals, foundations, streets and boulevards, including one that runs through the heart of America's traditional Dominican community, Washington Heights. Yet the spirit of Duarte is much greater. The love of freedom and the dedication to a better tomorrow --lives in the heart of every Dominican, from the shores of the Carribean to the streets of Northern Manhattan. It’s a sprit that our city and nation could use more of, as look to improver this land and ensure that it lives up to the promise of its creation.
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