Angel M. Quiñones Papers

Angel M. Quiñones was an activist, community leader and councilman who made a significant impact on the growing Puerto Rican community during the 1950s and through the 1980s in Perth Amboy, New Jersey.

Born in Lares, Puerto Rico and raised in San Sebastian, Puerto Rico, Mr. Quiñones grew up as the third of five children. At the age of 10, Mr. Quiñones was orphaned and was forced to drop out of school in the fifth grade to begin working. Thirteen years later, Mr. Quiñones returned to the sixth grade in his native San Sebastian as a married man with two children.

He arrived in Perth Amboy, New Jersey in 1951. He then went on to receive his high school equivalency degree and began taking night classes towards college credits at Rutgers University. Using the knowledge obtained from his college courses at Rutgers University, Mr. Quiñones opened the Quiñones Travel Bureau in Perth Amboy. In 1962, he was the first and only Puerto Rican International Air Transport Association (IATA) agent in the tri-county area. After opening his travel agency, Mr. Quiñones went on to become a real estate and insurance broker.

Mr. Quiñones was described as a leader of the Puerto Rican community of Perth Amboy, opening the doors of his business to help individuals with their problems. As a community leader, Mr. Quiñones also helped establish the Puerto Rican Fatima Club, the oldest Puerto Rican Social Club in the city. He was one of the founding members of the Borinquen Democratic Club; he served as president of both organizations, served as treasurer for Liga Puerto Rico Softball League, was a member of the Guayanilla Social Club and served on the Board of Directors of the Raritan Bay Community Chest.

Mr. Quiñones was also very active in the city’s politics and always urged Puerto Ricans to exercise their right to vote for the betterment of their community. Being recognized as an active participant within the community, Quiñones was asked to be a member of the Mayor’s Human Relations Committee. In 1984, Mr. Quiñones made a bid for a city council seat on the George J. Otlowski mayoral ticket and won; Mr. Quiñones served one term as councilman. After his term, he was appointed by Mayor Otlowski as Acting Recreation and Parks Director of Perth Amboy, but was not confirmed by the City Council to remain at that post.