Dr. Ricardo Alegria (born April 14, 1921 in San Juan, Puerto Rico) is a Puerto Rican scholar known as the "Father of Modern Puerto Rican Archaeology".

Algeria is credited with being a pioneer in the anthropolic studies of the Taino culture and the African hertiage in Puerto Rico. His extensive studies have helped historians to understand how the Tainos lived and suffered, before and after the Spanish Conquistadores arrived in the island. Alegria estimated that about one third of all Puerto Ricans (2 million out of 6 million) have Taino blood and therefore the Tainos where not completely extinct and some had to survive. Recently, the results of recent DNA studies have proofed him right.

Alegria was named and became the first director of the "Institute of Puerto Rican Culture". He is responsible for the creation of the "Archaeological Center of Ivestigation of the University of Puerto Rico". Alegria also created the "Center of Popular Arts of the Puerto Rican Cultural Institute" and of the program of publication of books of the institute.

Alegria was responsible of the renovation and restoration of Historical "Old San Juan" under the leadership of then San Juan mayor Felisa Rincon de Gautier. As a result of his work "Old San Juan" was declared a "Historical World Treasure".

In 1976, Alegria opened the "Center of Advanced Studies of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean". In 1992, he established the "Museum of the Americas".

In 1993, President Bill Clinton presented Alegria with the "Charles Frankel Honor Award" for his contribuciones in the field of Archaeology. In 1996, he was awarded the "James Smithson Bicentenial Medal". In 2001, Alegria received from the hands of Nancy Morejon "The Haydee Santamaria Medal" in Havana, Cuba. In 2002, Alegria received the "Luis Muñoz Marin Medal" in recognition of his life achievements from Puerto Rican Governor Sila Calderon. Puerto Rican artist Lorenzo Homar honored Alegria by making an artistic grafic poster of him.

Ricardo Alegria still lives in San Juan, however, his age has limited his activites.

See also

• List of famous Puerto Ricans