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Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Gregorio Luperón




Gregorio Luperón (September 8, 1839 - May 21, 1897), is best known for being a Dominican military and state leader who was the main leader in the restoration of the Dominican Republic after the Spanish annexation in 1863.

Gregorio Luperón was born 8 September 1839 in Puerto Plata to Pedro Castellanos and Nicolasa Luperón. His parents owned a Ventorrillo (small business) which forced their children to sell items such as piñonate, a local delicacy made of sweetened pine-nut kernels, on the street in order to help the family livelihood.

Around the age of 14, Gregorio began working for Pedro Eduardo Dubocq, an owner of a major company specializing in wood. While working there, he displayed a strong strength of character and a knack for getting any job assigned to him completed in the best possible fashion. Because of this, Mr. Dubocq promoted Gregorio to a management position. Mr. Dubocq also allowed Gregorio to spend time in his personal library because Gregorio wanted to enrich his intellect.
In 1861, the annexation of the Dominican Republic by Spain took place. Gregorio was only 22 years old at the time but a sense of nationalism began to swell within him. During one instance, Gregorio was arrested but managed to escape and flee to the United States for protection. Shortly thereafter, Gregorio managed to return to the Dominican Republic through the town of Monte Cristi in time to take part in the uprising of Sabaneta (1863). However, this uprising was short-lived due to the quick Spanish response.
After the failure at Sabaneta, Gregorio and his compatriots hid in the mountains of La Vega in order to prepare for a full-scale revolution against the Spanish forces.

Present Day References: The Gregorio Luperón International Airport in Puerto Plata and the Gregorio Luperón High School for Math & Science in New York are named after him.
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