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Rafael Cordero (1790 – 1868), born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and known as "The Father of Public Education in Puerto Rico", was a self-educated Puerto Rican of African ancestry who provided free schooling to children regardless of their race.

Rafael Cordero

Cordero was born into a poor family, his father was a poor man who worked in the tobacco fields. Cordero was self-educated, his love of literature and his determination to teach and educate himself helped him to develop the skills and preparation to teach primary school.

Cordero was a devout Catholic who received the rite of Confirmation in 1804, when he was fourteen years old, from the hands of Bishop Juan Alejo de Arizmendi (1760-1814), the first Puerto Rican to be consecrated Bishop, in San Juan.

At the beginning of the 19th century Rafael Cordero established, in his house, a free school for all children, regardless of race, who were unable to afford an education otherwise. Cordero maintained his educational center for 58 years at Luna Street in San Juan. There he taught reading, calligraphy, mathematics and Catholic instruction.

Among the distinguished alumni who attended Cordero's school were Román Baldorioty de Castro, Alejandro Tapia y Rivera and José Julián Acosta. He proved that racial and economic integration could be possible and accepted.

He was awarded the Premio de Virtud by La Sociedad Económica de Amigos del País, an economic club whose members were friends of Puerto Rico. He was given 100 pesos, which he in turn gave away to those in need. He used half of the money (50 pesos) to buy books and clothes for his students and the other half was given to the homeless. Cordero's was love and respect by the community was evidenced by the fact that more than 2,000 people attended his funeral in 1868. The Catholic Church plans to search for Cordero’s remains which were buried at the old city’s cemetery, although the exact location is unknown.

"La escuela del maestro Cordero" (1890-92), by Francisco Oller

In 1890, Rafael Cordero was immortalized in a painting titled La Escuela del Maestro Rafael Cordero by the artist Francisco Oller which can be seen in the Puerto Rican Athenaeum.

The house in Luna Street, where Rafael Cordero taught, was remodeled by the Government of Puerto Rico and is registered as a historical site in the National Register of Historical Places. There is a plaque on the outside that states the historical significance of the building and its relation to Rafael Cordero. The Teachers' Association of Puerto Rico (Asociación de Maestros de Puerto Rico) annually awards the teacher who has distinguished himself or herself in the field of public or private education with the National Medal Rafael Cordero. The city of San Juan has honored his memory by naming a high school after him.

In 2004, the Roman Catholic Church, upon the request of San Juan Archbishop Roberto González Nieves, began the process of Cordero's beatification. This is the first step on the road to canonization.

His contributions to society have been documented in history books and also in the following books:

• En busca del/In search of maestro Rafael Cordero by Jack Delano - May 1994

• Heroes of Puerto Rico by Jay Nelson Tuck

• List of famous Puerto Ricans

• Rafael Cordero