During the Spanish-American War, U.S. armed forces under the command of General Nelson A. Miles invaded Puerto Rico on July 25, 1898, and took possession of the Island.

One of the most tireless defenders of independence for Puerto Rico under Spanish colonial rule, Sotero Figueroa was a mulatto artisan who, in addition to working as a typographer, was also a journalist, poet and playwright.

José de Diego was born in Aguadilla on April 16, 1866. His parents were Felipe de Diego and Elisa Martínez.

Ramón Emeterio Betances Alacán was the son of Felipe Betances, a Dominican immigrant tied to the world of the sugar trade and business, and María del Carmen Alacán, a native of Cabo Rojo.

In 2018, the Puerto Rican population in the United States reached 5.8 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.