Famous Puerto Ricans: M
Browse by last name.
36 people
Augusto Malaret
Renowned lexicographer, educator, and writer best known for compiling one of the most important dictionaries of Puerto Rican Spanish.
Martín Maldonado
Major League catcher, World Series champion, and Gold Glove recipient known for his exceptional defensive skills and leadership behind the plate.
Francisco Manrique Cabrera
Born December 25, 1908 in Bayamón. Died June 15, 1978. Writer, historian, and educator known for documenting Puerto Rican literary and cultural history. He published "Poemas de mi Tierra" and was the first author of "Historia de la literatura puertorriqueña".
Antonio "Pachín" Marín
Patriotic poet, journalist, and political activist whose passionate writings championed Puerto Rican identity and autonomy. Despite his short life, he became one of the island's most celebrated nineteenth-century literary voices.
Francisco Gonzalo Marín
Poet, inventor, journalist, and independence advocate remembered both for his patriotic writings and for designing one of Puerto Rico's earliest flag concepts while supporting the island's nationalist movement.
René Marqués
Born October 4, 1919 in Arecibo. Died March 22, 1979 in San Juan. Award-winning playwright, novelist, and essayist whose works remain classics of Puerto Rican literature. Marques was a distinguished playwright, short story writer, novelist, and essayist. His best-known play, "La Carreta", opened in 1951 and helped secure his reputation as the leading literary figure in Puerto Rico during 1950s. In 1959 he published three plays together in the collection Teatro. These were "La muerte no entrará en palacio", "Un niño azul para esa sombra", and "Los soles truncos".
Ladislao Martínez Otero ("El Maestro Ladí")
Widely regarded as one of Puerto Rico's greatest cuatro players and composers, Ladislao Martínez helped popularize the Puerto Rican cuatro and traditional jíbaro music throughout the island.
Ladislao "Maestro Ladí" Martínez Otero
Influential Puerto Rican cuatro player, composer, and bandleader who helped shape the development of traditional Puerto Rican music during the 20th century. Known as "Maestro Ladí," he remains one of Vega Alta's most celebrated musical figures.
Gilberto Martorell
Puerto Rican artist and printmaker recognized for his contributions to contemporary visual arts and for work inspired by Puerto Rican culture, identity, and social themes.
Francisco Matos Paoli
One of Puerto Rico's most celebrated poets, Matos Paoli was also a prominent nationalist whose literary works explored faith, freedom, and Puerto Rican identity.
Wilfredo Mattos Cintrón
Award-winning Puerto Rican writer, poet, and educator recognized for his contributions to Puerto Rican literature and culture.
William McKinley
Born in Niles, Ohio. President of the United States during the Spanish-American War and the 1898 transfer of Puerto Rico from Spanish to United States sovereignty.
Concha Meléndez
Born January 21, 1895 in Caguas. Died June 26, 1983 in San Juan. Internationally recognized literary scholar whose writings and teaching helped shape the study of Hispanic literature throughout Latin America. She was an elementary and secondary school teacher. Her essays, a product of serious investigations, have been published in the most important publications on Hispanic literature. Her writings have been compiled in fifteen volumes by the Editorial Cultural. Some of these include: "Asomante", "Amado Nervo" and "La inquietud sosegada".
Inés María Mendoza
Educator, writer, and advocate for Spanish-language education who served as Puerto Rico's First Lady alongside Governor Luis Muñoz Marín. She remains one of the island's most respected educational leaders.
Nelson A. Miles
Born in Westminster, Massachusetts. U.S. Army commander who led American forces during the 1898 Puerto Rico campaign in the Spanish-American War.
Herminio Miranda González
Born March 13, 1873 in Morovis, he was a teacher, writer, poet, musician, municipal official, member of the House of Delegates, and senator for the Arecibo district. He died August 10, 1953 in Morovis.
William Miranda Marín
Longtime mayor credited with transforming Caguas into one of Puerto Rico's most innovative municipalities through urban revitalization, technology initiatives, cultural investment, and public spaces. The city's Botanical and Cultural Garden proudly bears his name.
Elsa Miranda
Actress and singer born February 14, 1922. Miranda became widely known as one of the most famous performers to portray Miss Chiquita Banana. During 1945 and 1946, she made numerous personal appearances and appeared in films, radio programs, and commercials. She died April 27, 2007.
Ismael Miranda
Known as "El Niño Bonito de la Salsa," Ismael Miranda is one of Puerto Rico's most celebrated salsa singers and songwriters. Born in Aguada and raised in New York City, he gained international recognition through his recordings with Larry Harlow and the Fania All-Stars, helping define the sound of salsa during its most influential era.
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Puerto Rican-American playwright, composer, actor, and creator of Hamilton and In the Heights. Although born in New York City, Miranda's family comes from Vega Alta, where he spent summers and Christmas holidays growing up. His continuing relationship with the town includes the Lin-Manuel Miranda Gallery in Vega Alta's historic center.
Edgardo Miranda-Rodríguez
Award-winning writer, editor, and creator of the superhero La Borinqueña. Through his work, he promotes Puerto Rican history, culture, identity, and social awareness to audiences around the world.
Arístides Moll Boscana
A physician, poet, and writer, Arístides Moll Boscana is remembered for both his medical career and his contributions to Puerto Rican literature. His poetry often reflected the beauty of Adjuntas' mountain landscapes, and the municipality's central plaza proudly bears his name.
Josefina Moll
An accomplished writer and educator, Josefina Moll contributed to Puerto Rican literature through her essays, poetry, and educational work. Her writings reflected a deep appreciation for Puerto Rico's culture, language, and traditions.
Yolandita Monge
Internationally recognized Puerto Rican singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality born in Trujillo Alto. Her career spans more than five decades of Latin pop music and entertainment.
Francisco "Paquito" Montaner
One of Puerto Rico's first internationally recognized tennis players, Paquito Montaner helped popularize the sport on the island. Manatí's main sports complex, the Centro Deportivo Francisco "Paquito" Montaner, is named in his honor.
Egla Morales Blouin
Poet and educator who taught Spanish, French, and Latin in Texas and New York.
Pablo Morales Cabrera
Poet, journalist, and writer associated with Toa Alta's literary heritage. His work contributed to the municipality's reputation as La Cuna de Poetas.
Benjamín Morales
Born in the Cubuy barrio, Benjamín Morales spent more than five decades working as an actor, reciter, and radio announcer. He appeared in Puerto Rican radio dramas, television productions, and films including Dios los Cría and Linda Sara.
Juan Morel Campos
Born May 16, 1857 in Ponce. Died May 12, 1896 in Ponce. Composer and musician considered the father of the danza, Puerto Rico's most distinctive classical music form.
He was the most important figure in Puerto Rican music of the 19th century. His first teacher was none other than the illustrious pianist-composer Manuel G. Tavarez (a Parisian trained composer and former pupil of M. Alphonse Laurent and M. Daniel Auber), who also wrote some of the most beloved Danza repertory for the piano. He composed countless danzas, the dance (along with the bomba and plena) most closely associated with Puerto Rico. "Felices Dias", "Vano Empeno", "Mis penas", "Tormento", "Alma Sublime", "La Lira Poncena", "Alma Sublime" and many others are among his most famous compositions. It's calculated that Morel created more than 550 compositions of which more than 300 are danzas.
Rita Moreno
Born December 11, 1931 in Humacao. Rita became the first woman ever to win all four biggest awards in show business: Oscar (movies), Tony (Broadway Theater), Emmy (TV), and Grammy (recording) — she was the first Latina to win an Academy Award. Born in Humacao, she grew up in New York but has been Puerto Rico's most globally recognized cultural ambassador for decades.
This Puerto Rican actress has secured a distinct place in movies, notably because of her role in Robert Wise's 1961 film West Side Story about Puerto Ricans in New York, which brought her fame and an Oscar as best supporting actress. She also appeared in such hits as Singin' in the Rain (1956), and Tennessee William's Summer and Smoke (1961), starring Geraldine Page. Her work in television included appearances on The Muppet Show and The Rockford Files.
Teodoro Moscoso
Politician and economic development leader born November 26, 1910, in Barcelona, Spain. He was an early ally of Luis Muñoz Marín and assisted in the founding of the Popular Democratic Party in 1938. Moscoso became best known for his work promoting economic reform in Puerto Rico, particularly through Fomento Económico and Operation Bootstrap, which he headed from 1942 to 1960 and again from 1973 to 1976. He died June 15, 1992.
Edwin Mundo Ríos
Attorney and public servant who has played an active role in Puerto Rican politics and government throughout his career.
Francisco F. Mundo
An eminent physician associated with Canóvanas, Francisco F. Mundo is remembered for his distinguished medical career and contributions to healthcare in Puerto Rico.
Gustavo Muñiz Díaz
Dr. Gustavo Muñiz Díaz was a highly respected physician who dedicated his life to improving healthcare in Puerto Rico. His commitment to public health and patient care made him a well-known figure throughout the island.
Luis Muñoz Marín
Puerto Rico's first democratically elected governor (1948–1964). Architect of Operation Bootstrap, which transformed Puerto Rico from an agrarian economy into an industrialized society.
Educated at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., United States, Muñoz Marín was once known as the New Deal's Golden Boy. Founder of Popular Democratic Party (1938). Although he had started out as a supporter of Puerto Rican independence, he later opted for the commonwealth status as economically more viable. Muñoz Marín worked closely with the U.S.-appointed governor, Rexford G. Tugwell, to improve housing, farming, and industrial conditions. He campaigned for land redistribution from large landowners to small farmers and claimed islanders were not yet ready for economic independence. The slogan "Bread, land, and liberty" won a large following among the poor. He began "Operation Bootstrap," to attract mainland business investment through the Puerto Rican Industrial Development Corporation. As Puerto Rico's first elected governor (1949-65), he helped draft its constitution and in 1952 presided over its attaining the status of a self-governing Commonwealth. He was reelected as governor three times; Muñoz Marin served in this post from 1949 to 1965. In 1960 his election was opposed by the Roman Catholic Church in Puerto Rico, which denounced him for advocating the teaching of birth control; he was easily reelected despite the opposition. In December 1963 he received the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom. He did not run for reelection in 1964, but served once again in the Senate of Puerto Rico.
Luis Muñoz Rivera
Born July 17, 1859 in Barranquitas. Died November 15, 1916 in San Juan. Leader of Puerto Rico's autonomy movement and father of Luis Muñoz Marín. He founded the newspaper La Democracia, which crusaded for Puerto Rican freedom from Spanish domination, later edited by his son Luis Munoz Marin. Munoz Rivera was president of Puerto Rico's Liberal Party and a leading spokesman for autonomy. A leader in the campaign for independence from Spain, he obtained (1897) a charter, which was never put into effect, that granted some autonomy to Puerto Ricans. He founded the Federal Party in Puerto Rico in 1899. Heading the first Puerto Rican cabinet under U.S. occupation, Muñoz Rivera opposed military governorship and pleaded for greater self-government. Faced with bitter opposition in Puerto Rico, he moved to New York City and published the Puerto Rico Herald, which expounded the island's problems. As resident commissioner of Puerto Rico in Washington, D.C. (1910-16), he obtained U.S. citizenship for Puerto Ricans. He died just before passage of the Jones Bill, for which he had fought. He is the best of the Puerto Rican lyricist and political poets. His most important work was his book of poems Tropicales.
