Agramonte, Emilio, Jr. (1868 – 1933)

The Cuban poet and revolutionary leader, Jose Marti, commissioned Agramonte to compile the songs of combat that were clandestinely passed through generations of Cubans. Agramonte also founded the Chaminade Choral Society in Havana, the School of Opera and Oratory in New York in 1893, and he directed the Gounod Society for some fifteen years. He was born in Cuba, went to university there, studied music in France, Italy, and Spain, and obtained a Doctor of Laws from the University of Madrid. He also obtained BS and CE degrees from Columbia University in 1886 and 1887 and a law degree from NYU in 1889. His uncle was Aristides Agramonte, who worked with Walter Reed in finding the cause of yellow fever. Before teaching Spanish at Columbia, Agramonte had been head of the waterworks division of the New York Board of Water Supply.