María Bibiana Benítez
1783–1873 (age 90)
Poet
Biography
María Bibiana Benítez, born in 1783 on the island of Puerto Rico, is celebrated as the first woman of the island to publish poetry and drama. Her early works reflected pride in Puerto Rican identity and the hope of a people shaping their own destiny.
She mentored younger writers, contributed to the intellectual life of San Juan, and helped lay the groundwork for later generations of Caribbean authors; her memory endures at Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery.