Ana Roqué Géigel de Duprey, also known by her pen name, “Flor del Valle,”for work in botany was born in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, on April 18, 1853.
From the outset, Roqué was an exceptional child. At three, she learned to read and write. After losing her mother, she was raised by her father, aunt, and grandmother, who were educators.
Roqué breezed through public school. Also, at eleven, she was the youngest teacher’s assistant in Puerto Rico and the author of the book “Elements of Universal Geography for Primary, Elementary, and Higher Education,” published by Puerto Rico’s Department of Education. Additionally, she passed the teacher’s exam.
In 1872, at 19, Roqué married Luis Duprey, a wealthy landowner and enslaver. As the story goes, she married Duprey on the condition that she be allowed to educate the slaves and not be forced to bow before their master (Puerto Rico abolished slavery one year later).
The Duprey’s had three children: Luis, Borinquén and America.
In 1898, Duprey founded the first and only magazine for women titled “La Mujer.” Also, she was a contributing writer for the newspapers “El Buscapie,” “El Imparcial,” and “El Mundo.” Later, Duprey founded the magazines “La Mujer de Siglo” (1907), “Heraldo Mujer” (1920), and “Euterpe,” which was instrumental in raising funds for the internationally renowned pianist, composer Ana (Anita) Otero Hernandez (1861-1905).
In addition to her work as an educator, in 1899, Roqué was appointed the director of the Normal School of San Juan. In the years following the 1898 invasion by the U.S., Roqué taught English so that the students could more easily communicate with American officials. By 1902, she had established a teacher’s academy, a high school for girls (Liceo Ponceño), and the College of Mayagüez. The latter eventually became a part of the University of Puerto Rico, which Roqué also helped to found.
