Ruth Mary Reynolds (February 29, 1916 – December 2, 1989) was an American educator, political and civil rights activist who embraced the ideals of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party.

[3] After earning a Master's degree from Northwestern University, she relocated to New York City, where she joined the Harlem Ashram, an interracial pacifist community dedicated to the development of non-violent strategies for social change.

Even though he was not involved in the incident, Albizu Campos was found guilty and sentenced in 1937 to ten years of prison, to be served at the Federal penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia.

He asked Julio Pinto Gandía, a member of the Nationalist Party of Puerto Rico, to bring the group to his bedside because he wanted to meet them.

[1] Soon afterwards, Reynolds and her colleagues founded the American League for Puerto Rico's Independence and she was named Executive Secretary.

[6] The revolts began on October 30, 1950, upon the orders of Nationalist leader Pedro Albizu Campos, with uprisings in various towns, among them Peñuelas, Mayagüez, Naranjito, Arecibo, and Ponce.

[7] In Jayuya, the "Free Republic of Puerto Rico" was declared, until the U.S. sent bomber planes, heavy artillery, and Army infantry troops to end the uprising.

[9] In San Juan the Nationalists made an attempt against the governor of Puerto Rico at his residence, La Fortaleza.

Reynolds then returned to New York City and was legally represented by Conrad Lynn, an attorney who fought many important segregation and civil liberties cases.

He successfully defended Reynolds against the charge of collaboration with the Puerto Rican Nationalist movement in the advocacy of the overthrow of the U.S.

[1][3] On March 1, 1954, a group of four Nationalists, which included Lolita Lebrón, Rafael Cancel Miranda, Andrés Figueroa Cordero, and Irvin Flores, unfurled a Puerto Rican flag and opened fire on the Representatives of the 83rd Congress, with the intention of capturing worldwide attention to the cause of Puerto Rican independence, wounding five congressmen.

Reynolds, with the aid of the American League for Puerto Rico's Independence, helped to defend Albizu Campos and the four Nationalists involved in the shooting incident.

[1][3] Reynolds remained a close friend of Albizu Campos until his death in 1965 and continued in her quest for Puerto Rican independence.

In 1977, Reynolds made another presentation to the UN on behalf of Puerto Rico, this time to the Decolonization Committee of the United Nations.