Pedro Albizu Campos Portrait Unveiling at the Harvard Club of New York
On Monday, November 3, 2025, a historic milestone unfolded at the Harvard Club of New York: the unveiling of a formal portrait of Pedro Albizu Campos, the first and only Puerto Rican to have a commissioned portrait at any Harvard-affiliated institution. The event marked not merely a ceremonial addition to the club's collection. As the organizers noted, "The unveiling of his portrait at the Harvard Club represents a historic milestone—not only as the first formal portrait of Albizu Campos commissioned for permanent display within a Harvard-affiliated institution, but also as a profound acknowledgment of the myriad narratives that collectively enrich and define the Harvard legacy." The significance of this moment cannot be overstated. Contemporary Puerto Rico has never witnessed such a great patriot as Albizu, and his legacy transcends many levels. Yet this historic event was also bold and courageous—perhaps even more so than the organizers anticipated.
THE EVENT
The portrait, painted by Brazilian artist Gustavo Ramos, was unveiled before an estimated 150 attendees in the Biddle Room at the Harvard Club of New York. The Biddle Room, named in 1925 to honor Nicholas Biddle (Class of 1900), chairman of both the House and Building Committees and personal financial advisor to Vincent Astor, provided a fitting backdrop for the evening's significance. The event featured opening remarks by Luis Ubiñas, corporate board director and former Ford Foundation president, followed by a panel forum moderated by Natasha Alford, journalist and author of American Negra, and Amaka Uzoh serving as master of ceremonies. Panelists included, among others, Junot Díaz, author and MIT Professor of Writing; Julissa Reynoso Pantaleón, former U.S. Ambassador to Spain; and a representative of Cristo Rey New York High School. The evening was organized by outstanding graduates of the Harvard Business School and featured hors d'oeuvres and an open bar.
The speakers and moderators emphasized repeatedly—I counted at least six times—that this was "not a Harvard University event" and not sponsored by Harvard University. The Harvard Club of New York, while affiliated with Harvard University, is an independent entity consisting of over 13,000 alumni members. This distinction would prove significant.
THE PORTRAIT
The general feeling when the unveiling occurred was one of awe and bewilderment. We stood in the Biddle Room surrounded by portraits of Caucasian, mostly conservative, wealthy men, and there was Albizu—that poor kid from Tenerías, Machuelo Abajo, in Ponce, Puerto Rico, who against all odds made the decision to study at the University of Vermont (1912-1913), transferred to Harvard College (1913-1916), and graduated from Harvard Law School (1916-1921). The dichotomy was real and heartfelt, and we felt proud.
Ramos's portrait captured Albizu in proper attire—clothes and posture in synergy with the history and decorum of the many other portraits throughout the Harvard Club, and entirely appropriate given that Albizu always dressed dapper. The artist captured Albizu's reflective and piercing eyes and artistically symbolized his stature and legacy. The composition echoes Albizu's time as president of the Cosmopolitan Club, depicting him centered among Harvard students. Some of the patrons mentioned that the portrait did not capture Albizu’s square jawline and the dimple in his chin. The portrait plate described Albizu as a leader of the independence movement, notably omitting mention of his leadership of the Nationalist Party.
MYTHS AND REALITIES
There was surprisingly little discussion by the panelists of Albizu's life, his history, or the history of the Nationalist Party of Puerto Rico—an integral part of Puerto Rico’s political and colonial history not taught in the island's public-school education. For those expecting to learn about Albizu's legacy, this was not that event. Perhaps this was fortunate, given that what little was said perpetuated myths that are ironically debunked by Albizu's own archival documents.
One speaker repeated the myth that Albizu knew no English when he started his schooling and insinuated that his father, Alejandro Albizu Romero, came to recognize Albizu as his biological son only after Albizu graduated from Harvard College (1916). The speaker also repeated the myth that Albizu had top grades at Harvard Law School. Albizu's father was his legal guardian when Albizu was a student at Ponce High School. That is well documented. Albizu had a respectful father-son relationship and Albizu listed his father as his parent at Harvard College before the legal recognition came about in 1914. While his law school grades were commendable, Albizu's personal records reveal they were not the top grades in any given year. Albizu’s HUA archival documents inform this truth. Nevertheless, there are those who insist in persisting myths and this is inevitable.
Another panelist emphasized that Albizu became a revolutionary when he enlisted in the U.S. Army and experienced racism in the South. This too is a myth. When Albizu enlisted, he never, not once, stepped foot in the South. The U.S. Army was segregated in Puerto Rico itself, between light-skinned and dark-skinned Puerto Ricans on the island, as directed by U.S. colonial governor Arthur Yager, who appeased the U.S. military by continuing the army's U.S. segregationist policies in Puerto Rico. This is well documented.
Nearly all of the responses by the panelists to the question’s posed by the moderator were void of any Albizu related details. As one audience member noted, "Even Junot Díaz seemed to wonder what he was doing there as he spoke of his Dominican upbringing in a conservative, pro-Trujillo military household with only island living as a common denominator. Maybe Albizu brings out the struggles in folks prompting their own trials & tribulations."
Selecting a panel deeply immersed in Albizu's life and history carries its own pitfalls, given the embellishment and larger-than-life myths in popular publications. As the moderator Natasha S. Alford, posted on her Facebook page the day after the event, “Imagine growing up poor in Puerto Rico, the son of a Black mother who worked as a domestic servant and a white father who refused to acknowledge you. Imagine not receiving a formal education until age 12, yet being so brilliant that you earn scholarships to the University of Vermont, Harvard College, and Harvard Law School. Only then does your father finally give you his last name. Imagine graduating from Harvard Law with the highest GPA in your class but being denied the chance to deliver the valedictorian speech because of racist professors. Imagine serving your country in the U.S. Army, only to be placed in a segregated unit for "colored" troops, an experience that would change you forever. That was Don Pedro Albizu Campos, one of Harvard’s most remarkable and controversial graduates.” The clear response to this is simply, “Imagine that the vast majority of these statements are myths easily debunked by reviewing and studying Albizu’s archival documents at HUA.” Followers and admirers of Albizu serve his legacy best by providing factual, publicly accessible, primary source information. Nevertheless, the race-based narrative concerning Albizu’s personal and military life serves the arguments put forward by admirers and detractors alike.
Yet this much is certain: Albizu was a brilliant person, an exceptional leader, and a world-class Puerto Rican—the human, not mythical, version as told by the handwritten letters, essays, and archival documents written during his high school, undergraduate, and graduate student years. His legacy undoubtedly deserves to be honored, remembered, and revered.
THE RESISTANCE
It has been said that Albizu is a controversial and complex figure, and some depict him as divisive. There is truth in this, but it stems not from within Albizu himself but from the outside. Albizu was not complex. There are many layers to his identity, but like spokes on a wheel, he was singularly determined. Albizu dedicated his life to defending Puerto Rico against U.S. colonial entrenchment, a colossal endeavor to confront an imperialist country that continues to keep its knee on Puerto Rico's neck. Puerto Rico has not been able to breathe since 1898.
The divisiveness surrounding Albizu manifested before the event itself. Sympathizers of the Partido Nuevo Progresista (PNP), Puerto Rico’s pro-statehood party, and the current party in power, government lobbied headstrong, requesting the event be canceled. They made threats, attempted to exert pressure, spread lies about Albizu, and stated that this event would harm the image and public relations of Jenniffer González's, governor of Puerto Rico, government. As if colonialism for more than 127 years, a U.S.-implanted colonial government in Puerto Rico, and a fiscal federal oversight board selected by the President of the U.S. to govern Puerto Rico weren't themselves major harms against human rights, freedom, and self-determination.
The Harvard Club of New York probably did not expect the onslaught and may have reacted to this right-wing propaganda by taking down the webpage link to the event. In the final days leading up to the event, "Page Not Found" greeted anyone seeking event information on the Club's website. Kudos to the Harvard Club for continuing with the event and experiencing a bit of what Albizu experienced his entire political life and what his followers and family continue to experience to this day.
Criticism also came from some who ironically sympathize with Albizu. Their objections ranged from questioning why Dominicans were on the panel instead of Puerto Rican writers to why a Brazilian artist received the portrait commission instead of a Puerto Rican artist. Some comments revealed more about the commentators than the event itself. The most absurd comment was: "The artist whitened Albizu to appease Harvard University.”
These criticisms negate a fundamental truth: Albizu belongs to ALL. Currently, the Dominican Republic is preparing to celebrate the 100 years since Albizu visited their country as vice president of the Nationalist Party. As for Brazil, Albizu visited the country in 1909, spent one month there, and spoke Portuguese. He also visited the Dominican Republic in 1908, spending two months there prior to his enrollment at Ponce High School.
LOOKING FORWARD
The closing remarks were given by Carmen Yulín Cruz, former mayor of San Juan. One audience member noted the irony that it was her party, the Partido Popular Democrático (PPD), and its leader, Luis Muñoz Marín, that persecuted Albizu and arrested him on multiple occasions, doing the bidding for the United States.
The portrait will permanently hang in the Cambridge Room at the Harvard Club—a beautiful space with floor-to-ceiling windows that opened in 2003 and is adorned with 1930s mural sketches by Barry Faulkner, the renowned artist also known for creating the stunning mosaic in the RCA Building at Rockefeller Center and the murals in the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C.
I attended the event representing the Fundación Pedro Albizu Campos, an organization dedicated to honoring and promoting Albizu's legacy through educational, research, and multimedia projects. Other representatives from Puerto Rico were in attendance, as were representatives from Puerto Rican-centric organizations in New York City and surrounding states. In hindsight, perhaps it was best that the evening's conversations about Albizu and his Harvard years remained cursory. It was probably the best way to move forward with the historic nature of the event without bringing more unwanted attention.
The portrait viewing is not open to the general public and can only be viewed by Harvard Club of New York dues-paying members and their guests. Hopefully, as part of the interaction with the portrait, it will spark further interest and inquiry about Albizu. It would be ideal, if that inquiry creates opportunities to reflect and act upon the denied democratic ideals and affront to Puerto Rico’s inalienable right to self-determination and independence.
About the author: Serving as President of the Fundación Pedro Albizu Campos, Dr. Daniel Ibarrondo Cruz obtained a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law, an Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree from Seton Hall University, and a Doctorate in Education (Ed.D.) degree from Pepperdine University. His executive leadership certification was obtained at Harvard University's Graduate School of Education Institute of Educational Management (IEM).