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.
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