author
Manuel Fernández Juncos
1846–1928
A Spanish-born writer who made Puerto Rico his home, he became one of the island’s best-known journalists and a lasting voice in its cultural life. He is especially remembered for the words of "La Borinqueña," Puerto Rico’s official anthem.
1 Audiobook
Antología portorriqueña: Prosa y verso
by Manuel Fernández Juncos
About the author
Born in Asturias, Spain, on December 11, 1846, Manuel Fernández Juncos moved to Puerto Rico as a child and built his life there as a journalist, poet, author, and public intellectual. He became a major figure in the island’s literary and civic world, writing with warmth, wit, and a strong sense of social purpose.
He is best known today for writing the official lyrics to "La Borinqueña," but his work went far beyond a single song. Fernández Juncos was active in journalism and publishing, and sources describe him as a humanitarian and cultural leader whose writing helped shape public conversation in Puerto Rico.
He died in San Juan on August 18, 1928. His legacy endures through Puerto Rican literature, journalism, and national memory, where his name remains closely tied to the island’s language, identity, and civic culture.