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Carlos Manuel Rosario
Carlos Manuel Rosario
Born	1922; Ciales, Puerto Rico
Died	February 1, 1987 (aged 64–65); Dorado, Puerto Rico
Monuments	Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School
Nationality	Puerto Rican
Occupation(s)	X-Ray technician, Politician, Activist

Carlos Manuel Rosario (1922 – February 1, 1987) was a Puerto Rican activist who served as the executive director of the Spanish Community Advisory Committee. He was a founder of the Latino Festival in Washington, DC and founded the Program of English Instruction for Latin Americans (PEILA).^[1]^[2]

Biography

Carlos Manuel Rosario was born in Ciales, Puerto Rico, and many in his family were teachers. He attended the University of Puerto Rico. During World War II, he served in the United States Army touring in North Africa, France, and Germany.^[1]

After WWII, Rosario returned to Puerto Rico where he worked as an X-Ray technician. In the 1950s, he moved to Montana and joined the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. He was later transferred to Washington, D.C. where he worked as an X-Ray technician until 1957. Then he worked at the National Tuberculosis Association until 1967 and for the Washington D.C. Health Department from 1967 to 1969.^[2]

In 1970, Mayor Walter E. Washington hired Rosario to head the newly formed Spanish Community Advisory Committee which was later named the Office of Latino Affairs. In 1980 he served as the Assistant Director of the D.C. Office on Aging, until he retired in 1984.^[2]

Family

Carlos Rosario married Carmin Maria Rosario of Washington and had three sons: Carlos M. Rosario Jr., Jose Rosario, and Reinaldo Rosario; and two daughters, Leticia Rosario and Vilma Tirado.

Activism

Carlos Rosario created various programs that allow Hispanic Americans and Hispanic immigrants to integrate into American society,^[3] such as:

Spanish Community Advisory Committee that established the Office of Latino Affairs of the District of Columbia
The District of Columbia Public Schools’ Bilingual Education Program
Funding for Manpower Programs
Latino Festival in Washington, DC
The Educational Organization for United Latin Americans (EOFULA)
The Upper Cardozo Health Clinic
Committee for the Aid and Development of Americans in the Nation's Capital (CADOLANCA)^[4]^[1]
Carlos Rosario helped establish the bilingual program in the D.C. public schools in 1968 and the Program of English Instruction for Latin Americans (PEILA) at the Gordon Adult Education Center in 1969 that was later renamed the Carlos Rosario Center.

Carlos Rosario stated that people referred to him as "The Godfather" because he was the builder of the Latino community in Washington D.C.^[1]

Career

WWII: US Army touring in North Africa, France, and Germany

Post WWII – 1950s: X-Ray Technician in Puerto Rico

1950s – 1957: Department of Health, Education, and Welfare in Montana. Later transferred to Washington, DC where he worked as an X-Ray Technician.

1957 – 1967: National Tuberculosis Association

1967 – 1969: D.C. Health Department

1970 – 1980: Executive director of the newly formed Spanish Community Advisory Committee (later named the Office of Latino Affairs of the District of Columbia)

1980 – 1984: Assistant director of the D.C. Office on Aging

Death

Carlos Rosario suffered a heart attack on February 1, 1987, while vacationing in Puerto Rico and died in a hospital in Dorado, Puerto Rico at the age of 65.^[1]

Legacy

Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School (former Carlos Rosario Center) was named after him.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Whitaker, Joseph D. (February 4, 1987). "Hispanic Leader Carlos Rosario Dies". Washington Post.
^ ^a ^b ^c Wiley, Amber N. (Spring 2018). "Person of Interest: Carlos Manuel Rosario". Washington History. 30 (1): 48–49. JSTOR 90021505 – via JSTOR.
^ Meléndez-Vela, Milagros (September 30, 2016). "Alcanza sus sueños de superación gracias a escuela para adultos en DC" (in Spanish). Washington Post.
^ Creating a Latino Identity in the Nation's Capital: The Latino Festival (Latino Communities: Emerging Voices - Political, Social, Cultural and Legal Issues) by Olivia Cadaval