Video: '25 de julio de 1952'

(Friday, July 25, 1952) — Puerto Rico graduated today from the status of a colonial possession to that of a self-governing “free commonwealth” closely associated with the United States.

On a gala day of flag-raising and parading, the country’s 2,250,000 residents celebrated the adoption of their new constitution, which became effective 54 years to the day from the time U. S. troops’ landed on Puerto Rico, in the Spanish-American War.

The constitution — accepted in a referendum of the people, approved by the U. S. Congress, and signed by President Harry S. Truman — puts the 100-mile-long island’s internal affairs completely in the hands of its own elected lawmakers.

It abolished the power of the U. S. Congress to repeal insular laws and leaves the way open for Puerto Rico to become a state in the Union later if it wants to, and takes away from the U. S. President the power to appoint such local officials as auditors and the Supreme Court justices.