What did it mean to be a Nationalist in Puerto Rico when independence could make you a target? This episode explores the people behind the movement, including the Cadets of the Republic, the Hijas de la Libertad, workers, students, families, and ordinary Puerto Ricans who risked everything to say the island belonged to its people.

Pedro Albizu Campos, known as El Maestro, was one of the most powerful and controversial voices in Puerto Rico’s independence movement. In this episode, we follow his journey from Ponce to Harvard, from the U.S. Army to the Nationalist Party, and into years of imprisonment and resistance. His life raises a question Puerto Rico still faces today: who has the right to decide the island’s future?

In this episode of Puerto Rico: A Living History, we explore the profound impact of the Treaty of Paris (1898) on Puerto Rico, a pivotal moment that marked the island’s transfer from Spanish to U.S. control without the consent of its people. We unpack the political, cultural, and economic disruptions that followed, contrasting Puerto Rico's experience with those of Cuba and the Philippines. Additionally, we discuss Spain’s modern proposal for "Nacionalidad Reparativa" (reparative citizenship), a potential step toward addressing the historical injustices caused by the treaty. Join us as we reflect on Puerto Rico’s colonial past, its unresolved political status, and what reclaiming Spanish citizenship could mean for its future.