Arturo Alfonso Schomburg (January 24, 1874 - 1938) born in Santurce, Puerto Rico (which is now an area of San Juan) was an activist who became famous among Hispanics of all races and among African Americans. Schomburg learned commercial printing at San Juan's Institituto Popular and studied Negro Literature at St. Thomas College in the Virgin Islands.

It was during grade school that one of his teachers asserted that blacks had no history, heroes or accomplishments.

This inspired Schomburg's life-long quest to find the truth and to document the accomplishments of African-Latinos, such as Jose Campeche and later of Afro-Americans.

Schomburg moved to New York in 1891 where he began calling himself "Afroborrinqueño". Together with the likes of Ramon Emeterio Betances, Segundo Ruiz Belvis and José Martí, he became a member of the "Revolutionary Committee of Puerto Rico " and took an active role advocating Puerto Rico's and Cuba's independence.

In 1911, Schomburg co-founded the "Negro Society for Historical Research ". He was also to become the President of the American Negro Academy which championed black history.

Schomburg also became involved in the "Harlem Renaissance" movement, which spread to other African-American communities in the U.S.

Schomburg had amassed a world renowned collection which consisted of artworks, manuscripts, rare books, slave narratives and other remnants of Black history. This collection became the cornerstone of the New York Public Library's Division of Negro History .

Another collection of documents which belonged to Schomburg, can be found at the Schomburg Center in New York.

Arturo Alfonso Schomburg's work has served as an inspiration to Puerto Ricans, Latinos and Afro-Americans alike. The awareness about the contributions that Black Latinos and Afro-Americans have made to society, as result of Schomburg's work, has served the generations of the future as a basis for the Civil rights movement.

Also see

• List of famous Puerto Ricans