Sylvia de Villard
Written by Andrew Montoya and Chica Felix
Sylvia del Villard was an actress, dancer, choreographer, and a key Afro Puerto Rican activist born in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 1928. Del Villard loved to dance starting from a young age; as a child, she would dance as a way of entertaining her parents. As well, Sylvia Del Villard was an excellent student and received a scholarship from the Puerto Rican government to attend college in the United States. While at college, Del Villard faced anti-black discrimination and racism, ultimately leading her to return to Puerto Rico and obtaining her degree at the University of Puerto Rico.
After graduating, Sylvia Del Villard went to New York College where her passion for Africa blossomed. She joined a troupe African House where she was able to connect to her African roots. From there, she went on to be a theater actress starring in numerous American and Afro Puerto Rican productions. In 1968, Del Villard founded Teatro Afro-Boricua El Coquí or the Afro-Boricua El Coquí theater where they were recognized “as the most important authority of Black Puerto Rican culture” by the Panamerican Association of the New World Festival.
Del Villard not only accomplished great things as an actress and dancer, but she was also a notable activist. She was someone who always fought for equality and stood up against injustices surrounding the whitewashing of castings. Sylvia Del Villard was a voice for the representation of the Afro-Puerto Rican and Afro-Latinx community in the entertainment industry.
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