Carlos Manuel Rosario

Carlos Manuel Rosario was an Ciales Puerto Rican activist that was executive director Spanish Community Advisory Committee, founder of Latino Festival in Washington, DC and founder of the Program of English Instruction for Latin Americans (PEILA).

Biography

Carlos Manuel Rosario, was born in Puerto Rico, into a family of educators. He attended to University of Puerto Rico. During World War II, he served in the Army in North Africa, France, and Germany.

After WWII he became an X-Ray technician in Puerto Rico and 1950's he moved to Montana and joined to Department of Health, Education and Welfare and was transferred to Washington, DC were worked as X-Ray technician until 1957. In 1957 he worked at National Tuberculosis Association until 1967. Then worked at D.C. Health Department from 1967 to 1969.

In 1970, Mayor Walter E. Washington name him executive director of the newly formed Spanish Community Advisory Committee that later was named the Office of Latino Affairs, and was head the office in second term in 1979. He worked as assistant director of the D.C. Office on Aging in 1980 until his retirement in 1984.

Family

Carlos Rosario married Carmin Maria Rosario of Washington and had three sons Carlos M. Rosario Jr., Jose Rosario, and Reinaldo Rosario; and two daughters, Leticia Rosario and Vilma Tirado.

Activism

Carlos Rosario created various programs that allow Hispanic Americans and Hispanic immigrants to integrate better in American society, some of them were:

• Spanish Community Advisory Committee that established the Office of Latino Affairs of the District of Columbia
• The District of Columbia Public Schools’ Bilingual Education Program
• Funding for Manpower Programs
• Latino Festival in Washington, DC
• The Educational Organization for United Latin Americans (EOFULA)
• The Upper Cardozo Health Clinic
• Committee for the Aid and Development of Americans in the Nation's Capital (CADOLANCA)^[1][2][3]
• Carlos Rosario helped to establish the bilingual program in the D.C. public schools and in 1968 and the Program of English Instruction for Latin Americans (PEILA) at the Gordon Adult Education Center in 1969 that later was renamed to Carlos Rosario Center.

Carlos Rosario stated that people used to called him the Godfather since he was the builder of Latino community in Washington D.C.

Career

Carlos Manuel Rosario was executive director at the Office of Latino Affairs of the District of Columbia

Death

On January 1987 Carlos Rosario was vacationing in Puerto Rico, he died of heart attack in February 1, 1987 in an Hospital in Dorado, Puerto Rico^[4] at age of 65.

Recognition

Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School (former Carlos Rosario Center) was named after him.

See also

• Hispanics and Latinos in Washington, D.C.
• Latino Festival in Washington, DC
• Office of Latino Affairs of the District of Columbia
• Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School
• Sonia Gutierrez
• Charter school
• District of Columbia Public Schools
• Columbia Heights (Washington, D.C.)
• Arts and culture of Washington, D.C.

References

External links

• Carlos Rosario History