William Walker, a filibuster of the 19th century in America.

William Walker, arguably the greatest filibuster in American history, was born in Nashville, Tennessee on May 8th, 1824. Among the titles he claimed in his lifetime were President of Lower California, Emperor of Nicaragua, Doctor, lawyer, and writer. The study of this interesting character requires a good look at who William Walker was, what filibusters did in American history, what he did, and an exploration of a question: Why is William Walker typically left out of …

…an imperialistic nation, spanning the entire Western hemisphere. Of course, he's much better known in Central America. Today, Costa Ricans honor Juan Santamaria, a young drummer boy who became a national hero by torching a fort in which Walker's army was encamped, and a national Park, Santa Rosa, commemorates the battle where Walker's soldiers were expelled, finally, from Costa Rica. He's not exactly someone I would like to see in my country's history books, either.