The Empty Chair: Who Represented Puerto Rico in 1898?

Most of us have heard about the Treaty of Paris, but very few have ever stopped to ask a simple question:

Who was sitting at the negotiating table... and who wasn't?

In this podcast, we examine the original Treaty of Paris, the signatures that changed Puerto Rico's future, and the surprising discovery that Puerto Rico's own duly elected autonomous government—elected on March 27, 1898—had no representative at the negotiating table.

We'll also explore the role of Whitelaw Reid, one of the five American commissioners who negotiated the treaty, his later writings in Problems of Expansion, and how those ideas may help us better understand the constitutional path Puerto Rico followed after 1898.

This isn't about rewriting history.

It's about returning to the original documents, asking difficult questions, and allowing the historical record to speak for itself.

We invite you to join us as we continue exploring Puerto Rico's past, present, and possible future.

📚 Join our FREE Substack Community

Join our growing community on Substack for FREE and stay connected with our latest research, historical articles, podcasts, and exclusive content.

If you enjoy our work and would like to support our research, you also have the option of making a one-time donation or becoming a paid supporter directly through Substack. Every contribution helps us continue researching and producing educational content.

FREE Substack: https://substack.com/@puertoricoopenyoureyes

❤️ Support Our Research

If you would like to support our educational work and historical research, you can also contribute through our Crowdfunder campaign.

Every donation—large or small—helps us continue producing podcasts, historical investigations, educational videos, interviews, and documentaries.

Crowdfunder: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/qr/pnA83m2W?utm_campaign=sharemodal&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=shortlink

🎙 Listen to the Puerto Rico, Open Your Eyes Podcast

Visit our website:

https://puertoricoabranlosojos.com/

📺 Subscribe on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/@PuertoRicoOpenYourEyes

🌎 Learn More About Our Work

The National Puerto Rico & Spain Initiative https://tnprsi.org

Proyecto Puerto Rico en España https://proyectopuertoricoenespana.com

If you enjoyed this podcast, please Like, Share, and Subscribe.

Every share helps bring Puerto Rico's overlooked history to a wider audience.

Thank you for being part of this journey.