Location: Christopher Columbus Drive cor. Brunswick Street, Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey, United States of America
Category: Personages
Type: Biographical marker
Status: Level II – Historical marker
Marker date: October 24, 2000
Installed by: National Historical Institute (NHI)
Marker text:
JOSE PROTACIO RIZAL
(1861–1896)
THE NATIONAL HERO OF THE PHILIPPINES AND THE PRIDE OF THE MALAY RACE. HE WAS A PHYSICIAN, POET, LINGUIST AND POLYGLOT, SCULPTOR AND POLITICAL ESSAYIST. AUTHOR OF THE TWO FAMOUS NOVELS, NOLI ME TANGERE (THE SOCIAL CANCER), 1887, AND EL FILIBUSTERISMO (THE REIGN OF GREED), 1891, WHICH DRAMATIZED THE COLONIAL OPPRESSION OF THE FILIPINOS DURING THE SPANISH REGIME. ARRESTED ON JULY 6, 1892 FOR ORGANIZING LA LIGA FILIPINA, AN ASSOCIATION SEEKING TO DEFEND FILIPINO RIGHTS. DEPORTED ON JULY 15, 1892 TO DAPITAN, ZAMBOANGA IN MINDANAO. VOLUNTEERED AS A MILITARY DOCTOR FOR THE SPANISH FORCES FIGHTING IN CUBA. ENROUTE TO SPAIN, RIZAL WAS AGAIN ARRESTED AND BROUGHT BACK TO MANILA WHERE HE WAS CHARGED WITH INSPIRING THE PHILIPPINE REVOLUTION. EXECUTED BY MUSKETRY AND DIED AS A MARTYR ON DECEMBER 30, 1896 IN BAGUMBAYAN (NOW RIZAL PARK), MANILA.
THIS HISTORICAL MARKER IS INSTALLED BY THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN NEW JERSEY IN HONOR OF DR. JOSE RIZAL. UNVEILED BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PRESIDENT JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES, ON 24 OCTOBER 2000.
