Cayetano Coll y Cuchí

Cayetano Coll y Cuchí
First President of Puerto Rico House of Representatives pictured with the French Legion of Honor
Born	June 21, 1881 Arecibo, Puerto Rico
Died	1961 San Juan, Puerto Rico
Nationality	Puerto Rican
Movement	Puerto Rican independence movement
Notes
Cayetano and his brother José, who founded the Nationalist Party of Puerto Rico, once served together in the Union Party

Cayetano Coll y Cuchí (June 21, 1881 – 1961) was a politician, writer and an advocate of Puerto Rican Independence. In 1917, he became the first President of Puerto Rico House of Representatives after the island was ceded to the United States by Spain as a result of the Spanish–American War. Coll y Cuchí was a member of a prominent family of Puerto Rican politicians, writers and educators.

Coll y Cuchi was born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. His father was Cayetano Coll y Toste, a historian who in 1913 was named the "Official Historian of Puerto Rico" and his mother Adela, was the daughter of José Cuchi y Arnau former mayor of Arecibo. His family sent him to private schools for his primary and secondary education. Coll y Cuchi began his college education in Barcelona, Spain. In 1910, he earned his law degree from a college in Washington, D.C.. After he earned his degree he returned to the island and established his law practice.

Cayetano Coll y Cuchí was a member of the Union Party of Puerto Rico, a major political party in Puerto Rico which was founded in February 1904 by Luis Muñoz Rivera, Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón, Antonio R. Barceló, José de Diego and others after the disbanding of the Federal Party. The party was a supporter of greater self-government for the island, though the party was divided between those in favor of independence and those favoring statehood. Coll y Cuchí was successful in the elections of 1908, 1910 and 1914 and represented his party in the Puerto Rican Camera of Delegates.