José María Samper

Born in Honda on March 31, 1828, and dying in Anapoima on July 22, 1888, José María Samper Agudelo was a Colombian humanist, writer, journalist, and politician. Sources describe him as an important public intellectual whose career joined literary work with active participation in national affairs.

He is remembered not only for his writing but also for his role in education and public life. A biographical record notes that he presented the 1867 bill that created the National University of the United States of Colombia, known today as the National University of Colombia.

His surviving portrait and historical notices suggest a figure closely associated with the cultural and political debates of his era, making him a notable voice in 19th-century Colombian letters.