The Life of Juan Rodríguez
Born around the late 1500s in La Capitanía General de Santo Domingo, now known as the Dominican Republic, Juan Rodríguez was the son of an African woman and a Portuguese man. His exceptional linguistic skills led him to be hired by Dutch captain Thijs Volckenz Mossel to serve as a translator on a trading voyage, which would take Rodríguez from Santo Domingo to the Lenape island of Mannahatta (now Manhattan).
In 1613, Rodríguez arrived in Mannahatta and quickly learned the Algonquian language spoken by the Lenape people. As he grew closer to the local community, Rodríguez eventually married into it. When it was time for Mossel to leave for the Netherlands, Rodríguez fought to remain behind and live with his new family.
Rodríguez’s Legacy
Juan Rodríguez’s legacy as the first immigrant, first merchant, first Afro-Latino, and first Dominican to live in New York City is commemorated through Juan Rodríguez Way, a dedicated section of Broadway between Washington Heights and Inwood. This street stands as a tribute to his pioneering spirit, marking 400 years since Rodríguez first set foot on Manhattan.