Lola Rodriguez de Tio

Lola Rodríguez de Tió was born Dolores Rodríguez de Astudillo Ponce de León in San Germán, Puerto Rico, on September 14, 1843. She was the daughter of Sebastian Rodríguez de Astudillo and Carmen Ponce de León. She embarked on a journey that would not only shape her own destiny but also leave an indelible mark on the history of Puerto Rico and Cuba.

It is important to note that Lola came from a very privileged background, she was a direct descendent of the conquistador of Puerto Rico and the leader of the La Florida advance, Juan Ponce de Leon. Her privileged upbringing is important to stress when discussing her role as a revolutionary and poet in a time and place where most women were illiterate. She was blessed with a father who owned an extensive library. Lola's intellectual curiosity led her to expand her knowledge and at a young age, she began publishing verses in various Rotary Clubs across Puerto Rico.

In 1865, Lola married the journalist Bonocio Tió Segarra. The two shared cultural and political interests and would dedicate their life together to the pursuit of Puerto Rico’s and Cuba’s independence and the abolition of institutionalized slavery. The couple welcomed two daughters, Patria in 1865 and Mercedes in 1870. Tragically, Mercedes passed away at the age of three.

A defining moment in Lola's life came in 1868 when, amidst the Lares Uprising (el Grito de Lares), she penned the Patriotic Letra of La Borinqueña, a powerful expression of her opposition to the Spanish regime. The Borinqueña became Puerto Rico’s first national anthem, even though its revolutionary lyrics, Lola’s lyrics, were later replaced by lyrics about the island’s landscape, written by Manuel Fernandez Juncos.

The Lares Uprising was ultimately unsuccessful, and Puerto Rico remained in Spain’s hands, albeit slightly more autonomous than before the revolt. Lola’s open stance against the Spanish Crown led to her banishment, alongside her husband, by Governor Segundo Portilla, to Caracas, Venezuela, where she had to remain for a couple of years.

The fight for independence was a recurring theme in Lola's life. In 1889, Pedro Ruiz Dama's expulsion led her to Havana, Cuba, but the War of 95 forced her to relocate to New York. There, she immersed herself in the Cuban and Puerto Rican independence movements, earning the title of Honorary President of the Rius Rivera Political Club in 1895.

During the Cuban War of Independence, Lola served as the secretary of the Club Caridad (1895-1898), providing support to Cuban fighters against the Spanish regime and organizing a chapter of the Red Cross.

Following the Spanish evacuation of Cuba in 1899, Lola returned to Havana and was promptly appointed Inspector of Public Schools. Despite her activism, poetry remained one of her favorite pursuits. Initially publishing individual poems, Lola eventually compiled her work into books that would be released over time.

Tragedy struck in 1905 when she became a widow. Despite this loss, Lola's commitment to her causes remained unwavering. In 1910, she was appointed a member of the Academy of Arts and Letters of Cuba, and a year later, she joined the Society of Charitable Naturals of Galicia in Havana.

In 1915, Lola revisited Puerto Rico, where she was welcomed as a national icon. However, her final breath was drawn on November 10, 1924, in Havana, Cuba. Lola Rodríguez de Tió's legacy endures as a beacon of strength, resilience, and unwavering dedication to the pursuit of freedom and independence for her beloved Puerto Rico and Cuba. The islands of Cuba and Puerto Rico were forever connected in history and in Lola’s life. he is said to have designed the Puerto Rican flag with its stripes in reverse order of the Cuban flag. The quote “Cuba and Puerto Rico are feathers of the same bird” is also attributed to her.