Governor of Puerto Rico - History

History

See also: History of Puerto Rico, cacique, Conquistador, and Political status of Puerto Rico

Juan Ponce de León was appointed as the first Governor of Puerto Rico in 1508 and assumed the post in 1510. In 1579, after several others had already served as Governor, Juan Ponce de León II became the first person born in Puerto Rico to assume, temporarily, the governorship of Puerto Rico. He served until the arrival of Jerónimo de Agüero Campuzano, who assumed the governorship of the island that same year.

For several months in 1923, it is believed that Juan Bernardo Huyke may have served as an interim Governor between the administrations of Emmet Montgomery Reily and Horace Mann Towner, but historical references for that period are difficult to find.

In 1946, President Harry Truman appointed Jesús T. Piñero to the governor's seat. This marked the first time in history that the federal government of the United States appointed a native Puerto Rican to hold the highest office on the island. Piñero remained in office until 1948, when Puerto Ricans were allowed to choose their governor for the first time in history.

In 1948, Luis Muñoz Marín became the first Puerto Rican elected to the governorship of Puerto Rico.

Read more about this topic:  Governor Of Puerto Rico

Famous quotes containing the word history:

    “Tell me of the height of the mountains of the moon, or of the diameter of space, and I may believe you, but of the secret history of the Almighty, and I shall pronounce thee mad.”
    —Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)

    “We aspire to be something more than stupid and timid chattels, pretending to read history and our Bibles, but desecrating every house and every day we breathe in.”
    —Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)

    “A country grows in history not only because of the heroism of its troops on the field of battle, it grows also when it turns to justice and to right for the conservation of its interests.”
    —Aristide Briand (1862–1932)