Monument

History of the Portuguese Discovery Monument
Arthur Raposo’s Dream

   This monument is the realization of Arthur Raposo’s dream. This Portuguese-American was born in Fall River, but lived for many years in Middletown, Rhode Island.

   In his great desire to pay homage to the great navigator, Miguel Corte Real, he organized the Miguel Corte Real committee. Composed of ten Portuguese-American  leaders, this committee was created for the purpose of erecting a statue in honor of Miguel Corte Real somewhere in Newport, the “City by the Sea”.

  With enthusiasm and persistence, he negotiated with Rhode Island officials until he secured the best spot in the state of Rhode Island - The Brenton Point State Park - to place the monument honoring the famous Miguel Corte Real.

 Raposo first presented his plan to Attorney Robert M. Silva, president of the Portuguese Cultural foundation. Together with Portuguese Cultural Foundation Executive Secretary Peter Calvet de Magalhaes, they obtained the cooperation of the National Committee of the Commemorations of the Discoveries of Portugal. From this agreement they developed such mutual cooperation between Portuguese and American officials which eventually flowered to the point where Portugal offered the Portuguese Discovery Monument as a gift to the American people.

  Meanwhile, through the joint cooperation of Governor Edward DiPrete, Portuguese-American Legislators, and the Environmental Department of Rhode Island, over $110,000 was  allocated to landscape Brenton Point State Park to ready it to receive all the pieces of the Monument. This amount of money was matched by the Portuguese Government which expended over $110,000 to build and  transport the monument to Rhode Island. Adding the cost of the Interpretive Plaque, the total expense for the Monument reached a quarter of a million dollars.

   The Portuguese Discovery Monument was inaugurated in 1988. Arthur Raposo always felt the monument was not complete without its Interpretive Plaque. With this official inauguration, Arthur Raposo and his many fellow Portuguese Americans can finally say the realization of their dream is now complete!
Manuel Luciano da Silva M.D.
Edited by Nelson D Martins Ph D.