Juan Boria

Juan Boria (February 17, 1906 – May 29, 1995) also known as the Negro Verse Pharaoh, was a Puerto Rican poet known for his Afro-Caribbean poetry.

Biography

Early years

Juan Boria was born in Dorado, Puerto Rico where he studied elementary school. After that, he followed studies in the nearby town of Toa Baja. During weekends, he worked as a mason and carpenter to pay for his studies. He finished his studies in Santurce in 1923.

At this time, his family moved to the town of Cataño and he started studies in the University of Puerto Rico in Río Piedras. He received his Bachelor's degree as a teacher of industrial arts, drawing, and carpentry. After several years working in several places, he started working as a teacher in 1937 at a school in San Germán. From there, he was transferred to another school in Canóvanas.

Starting his career

In 1938, during a show at the school in Canóvanas, he heard a colleague — Pablito Rivera — recite the Negro poem "La negra curandera." He liked it so much that he asked him for a copy to learn and recite at his friends meetings. After some time, his friends prompted him to participate in a program at the WKAQ radio station. The poet Fortunato Vizcarrondo, considered the most important Negro poet in the island at the time, heard him and visited him. Vizcarrondo then offered him other of his poems for him to recite at the program.