Puerto Rican migration to New York
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| Notable Puerto Ricans who migrated to New York |
 
First row
Arturo Alfonso SchomburgArturo Alfonso Schomburg, a.k.a. as Arthur Schomburg, , was a Puerto Rican historian, writer, and activist in the United States who researched and raised awareness of the great contributions that Afro-Latin Americans and Afro-Americans have made to society. He was an important intellectual figure...
Jose FerrerJosé Vicente Ferrer de Otero y Cintrón , best known as José Ferrer, was a Puerto Rican actor, as well as a theater and film director...
Nicholas EstavilloNYPD Chief of Patrol Nicholas Estavillo , is a former member of the New York Police Department who in 2002 became the first Puerto Rican and the first Hispanic in the history of the NYPD to reach the three-star rank of Chief of Patrol.-Early years:Estavillo was born and raised in the sector Hato...
Second row
Aída ÁlvarezAída M. Álvarez is the first Hispanic woman and Puerto Rican to hold a United States Cabinet-level position.-Early years:Alvarez was born in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico into a family of modest economical means, who despite their hardships always encouraged her to pursue her dreams...
Herman BadilloHerman Badillo is a Bronx, New York politician who has been a borough president, United States Representative, and candidate for Mayor of New York City. He was the first Puerto Rican to be elected to these posts and be a mayoral candidate in the continental United States.-Early years:Badillo was...
Giannina BraschiGiannina Braschi is a Puerto Rican writer. She is credited with writing the first Spanglish novel YO-YO BOING! and the poetry trilogy Empire of Dreams , which chronicles the Latin American immigrant's experiences in the United States...
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Puerto RicansA Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...
have both immigrated and migrated to
New YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The first group of Puerto Ricans moved to New York in the mid-19th century when Puerto Rico was a Spanish Colony and its people Spanish subjects and therefore they were immigrants. The following wave of Puerto Ricans to move to New York did so after the Spanish-American War in 1898. Puerto Ricans were no longer Spanish subjects and citizens of Spain, they were now Puerto Rican citizens of an American possession and needed passports to travel to the mainland of the United States. That was until 1917, when the
United States CongressThe United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
approved
Jones-Shafroth ActThe Jones–Shafroth Act was a 1917 Act of the United States Congress by which Puerto Ricans were collectively made U.S. citizens, the people of Puerto Rico were empowered to have a popularly-elected Senate, established a bill of rights, and authorized the election of a Resident Commissioner to a...
which gave Puerto Ricans U.S. citizenship and pulled men 18 years and older from the island into World War I. It also allowed all Puerto Ricans to travel without the need of a passport between the island and the United States mainland, thereby becoming migrants. However, the largest wave of migration came about in the 1950s in what became known as "The Great Migration" with the advent of
air travelAir travel is a form of travel in vehicles such as airplanes, helicopters, hot air balloons, blimps, gliders, hang gliding, parachuting or anything else that can sustain flight.-Domestic and international flights:...
.
Early 19th century
During the 19th century, commerce existed between the ports of the eastern coast of the United States and the Spanish colony of Puerto Rico. Ship records show that many Puerto Ricans traveled on ships that sailed from and to the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Many of them settled in places such as New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts. Upon the outbreak of the American Civil War, many Puerto Ricans, such as Lieutenant
Augusto RodriguezLieutenant Augusto Rodríguez , was a Puerto Rican officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Rodríguez served in the defenses of Washington, D.C. and led his men in the Battles of Fredericksburg and Wyse Fork.-Early years:...
, joined the ranks of military armed forces, however since Puerto Ricans were Spanish subjects they were inscribed as Spaniards. The earliest Puerto Rican enclave in New York City was in
ManhattanManhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. Most of the Puerto Ricans who moved there came from well-to-do families or were people whose economic situation could permit them the luxury of traveling from the island to New York by way of steamship, an expensive and long trip. Amongst the first Puerto Ricans to immigrate to New York were men and women who were exiled by the Spanish Crown for their political beliefs and struggles for the cause of Puerto Rican independence. By 1850, Puerto Rico and
CubaThe Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
were the only two remaining Spanish colonies in the
New WorldThe New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
. The Spanish Crown would either imprison or banish any person who promoted the independence of these two nations. Two of these exiles were
Ramón Emeterio BetancesRamón Emeterio Betances y Alacán was a Puerto Rican nationalist. He was the primary instigator of the Grito de Lares revolution, and as such, is considered to be the father of the Puerto Rican independence movement...
and
Segundo Ruiz BelvisSegundo Ruiz Belvis , was a dedicated abolitionist who also fought for Puerto Rico's right to independence.-Early years:...
who together founded "The Revolutionary Committee of Puerto Rico" in New York. They were the planners of the 1868 short and failed revolt against Spain in Puerto Rico known as El Grito de Lares. Another prominent Puerto Rican who in 1871 immigrated to New York was
Arturo Alfonso SchomburgArturo Alfonso Schomburg, a.k.a. as Arthur Schomburg, , was a Puerto Rican historian, writer, and activist in the United States who researched and raised awareness of the great contributions that Afro-Latin Americans and Afro-Americans have made to society. He was an important intellectual figure...
, considered by many as the "Father of Black History". He too became a member of the "Revolutionary Committee of Puerto Rico" and was an outspoken promoter of not only the independence of Puerto Rico but of Cuba's also. Two other Puerto Ricans who moved to New York because of political reasons were
Juan Ríus RiveraGeneral Juan Ríus Rivera , was the General of the Cuban Liberation Army of the West upon the death of General Antonio Maceo.-Early years:...
and
Francisco Gonzalo MarínLieutenant Francisco Gonzalo Marín, also known as Pachín Marín , considered by many as the designer of the Puerto Rican Flag was a poet and journalist who fought alongside José Martí as a member of the Cuban Liberation Army....
. These two Puerto Ricans joined the Cuban Liberation Army whose headquarters was in New York City. It is believed that it was Marín who in 1892 designed and presented the Puerto Rican Flag in New York's "Chimney Corner Hotel". In 1897,
Antonio Mattei LluberasAntonio Mattei Lluberas , was a businessman and politician who in 1897 planned and led the second and last major uprising against Spanish colonial rule in Puerto Rico, known as the Intentona de Yauco.-Early years:...
, a wealthy coffee plantation owner from Yauco, visited the Puerto Rican Revolutionary Committee in New York City. There he met with
Ramón Emeterio BetancesRamón Emeterio Betances y Alacán was a Puerto Rican nationalist. He was the primary instigator of the Grito de Lares revolution, and as such, is considered to be the father of the Puerto Rican independence movement...
, Juan de Mata Terreforte and Aurelio Méndez Martinez and together they proceeded to plan a major coup. The uprising, which became known as the
Intentona de YaucoThe Intentona de Yauco a.k.a. the "Attempted Coup of Yauco" of 1897, was the second and last major revolt against Spanish colonial rule in Puerto Rico, staged by Puerto Rico's pro-independence movement....
was to be directed by Betances, organized by Aurelio Mendez Mercado and the armed forces were to be commanded by General Juan Ríus Rivera from Cuba. The political immigration to New York practically came to a halt in 1898 after the Spanish-American War when Puerto Rico became a possession of the United States. It is estimated that 1,800 Puerto Rican citizens (they were not American citizens until 1917) had immigrated to New York during this period.
World War I era
In 1902, the United States Treasury Department issued new immigration guidelines that changed the status of all Puerto Ricans to "foreigners."
Isabel GonzalezIsabel González was a Puerto Rican activist who helped pave the way for Puerto Ricans to be given United States citizenship...
was a young single mother who was expecting her second child. Her fiance, who was in New York, sent for her with the intention of getting married. When Gonzalez arrived in New York, she and all the Puerto Ricans who were with her, were detained in
Ellis IslandEllis Island in New York Harbor was the gateway for millions of immigrants to the United States. It was the nation's busiest immigrant inspection station from 1892 until 1954. The island was greatly expanded with landfill between 1892 and 1934. Before that, the much smaller original island was the...
and denied entry. She was accused of being an alien and as an unwed parent she was deemed as a burden to the welfare system of the country. Gonzalez challenged the Government of the United States in the groundbreaking case "GONZALES v. WILLIAMS' (her surname was misspelled by immigration officials). The Supreme Court ruled that under the immigration laws González was not an alien, and therefore could not be denied entry into New York. It also stated that Puerto Ricans were not U.S. citizens, they were "noncitizen nationals." Gonzalez, who became an activist on behalf of all Puerto Ricans, paved the way for the
Jones-Shafroth ActThe Jones–Shafroth Act was a 1917 Act of the United States Congress by which Puerto Ricans were collectively made U.S. citizens, the people of Puerto Rico were empowered to have a popularly-elected Senate, established a bill of rights, and authorized the election of a Resident Commissioner to a...
, which conferred United States citizenship on all citizens of Puerto Rico.
In 1917, the United States entered World War I and that same year the United States Congress approved the Jones-Shafroth Act which gave Puerto Ricans U.S. citizenship. Puerto Ricans no longer needed a passport to travel to the U.S. and were allowed to seek public office in the mainland U.S. The economic situation in the island was bad and continued to worsen as a result of the many hurricanes which destroyed most of its crops. Many Puerto Rican families migrated to the United States, the bulk of which went to New York, in search of a better way of life. In New York, they faced the same hardships and discrimination that earlier groups of immigrants, such as the
IrishThe Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, the Italians, and the
JewsThe Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
, had faced before them. It was difficult for them to find well paying jobs because of the language barrier and their lack of technical working skills. The few men who found jobs worked for low salaries in factories. The women usually stayed home as housewives and tended to their children. Those who did not find jobs had the option of joining the United States Military. Prior to the Jones-Shafroth Act, Puerto Ricans in the mainland United States as all other non-citizens, who were permanent residents were required to register with the Selective Service System by law and could be drafted, however one of the effects of the Act was that all Puerto Ricans were now eligiable for the military "draft" (
conscriptionConscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
). One of the most renowned military units at that time was New York's U.S. 369th Infantry Regiment.
Rafael HernándezRafael Hernández , was one of the most important composers of Puerto Rican popular music during the 20th century.-Early years:...
was a renowned Puerto Rican who served in the almost all Afro-American unit. The unit fought against the
GermansThe Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
in France and became known as the "Harlem Hell Fighters". Hernández, his brother Jesus and 16 other Puerto Ricans was assigned to the United States Army's Harlem Hell fighters musical band, the Orchestra Europe.
Nero ChenNero Chen , a.k.a. El Negro, was Puerto Rico's first professional boxer to gain international recognition.-Boxing career:Little is known about Chen's early years except that "Nero Chen" was his nickname, and that he was born in Puerto Rico. Chen moved to New York City and lived in Harlem.There he...
was one of the many Puerto Ricans who settled in East Harlem. He became the first Puerto Rican boxer to gain acclaim when in 1917 he fought against "Panama Joe Gans" at Harlem's Palace Casino which was located at 28 East 135th St., between 5th and Madison Avenues, in Manhattan. As evidenced by an early 1924 poster, migrants in New York organized baseball teams which played against each other. The poster announces a game which was held at Howard Field in Brooklyn between two teams, the San Juan B.B.C. and the Porto Rican Stars, made of Puerto Ricans from the East Side section of Manhattan.
As the economic situation in the United States worsened in a prelude to the
Great DepressionThe Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, many Puerto Ricans in the mainland found themselves competing with other groups for the positions of unskilled labor such as dishwashers, maintenance and laundry workers. This led to the "Harlem Riots" of July 1926. between unemployed Jews and Puerto Ricans. Various Puerto Rican organizations in East Harlem, organized a media campaign to ease the tensions between the groups involved and called upon the mayor, governor of the state to restore order and provide protection to the area.
In 1937,
Oscar Garcia Rivera, Sr.Oscar Garcia Rivera, Sr. was a politician, lawyer and activist. Garcia Rivera made history when in 1937 he became the first Puerto Rican to be elected to public office in the continental United States...
(1900–1969), a native of Mayagüez and resident of East Harlem, became the first Puerto Rican to be elected to public office in the continental United States as a member of the
New York State AssemblyThe New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
. A witness of the discrimination which Puerto Ricans were subject to, he created the "Unemployment Insurance Bill" which paved the way for the passage of bills which established minimum hours and wages for working people, the creation of a Wage Board within the Labor Department, and the right of employees to organize and negotiate grievances. In 1956, he also became the first Puerto Rican to be nominated as the Republican candidate for Justice of the City Court.
World War II and The Great Migration
Several factors contributed and led to what came to be known as
"The Great Migration" of Puerto Ricans to New York. These were the following: the
Great DepressionThe Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, World War II and the advent of air travel.
The Great Depression which spread throughout the world was also felt in Puerto Rico. Since the island's economy was and still is dependent to that of the United States, it was to be expected that when the American banks and industries began to fail the effect would be felt in the island. Unemployment was on the rise as a consequence and therefore, many families fled to the mainland U.S.A. in search of jobs.
The outbreak of World War II, opened the doors to many of the migrants who were searching for jobs. Since a large portion of the male population of the U.S. was sent to war, there was a sudden need of manpower to fulfill the jobs left behind. Puerto Ricans, both male and female, found themselves employed in factories and ship docks, producing both domestic and warfare goods. The new migrants gained the knowledge and working skills which in the future would serve them well. The military also provided a steady source of income, in 1944, the Puerto Rican WAC unit, Company 6, 2nd Battalion, 21st Regiment of the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps, a segregated Hispanic unit, was assigned to the Port of Embarkation of New York City, after their basic training at
Fort Oglethorpe, GeorgiaFort Oglethorpe is a city in Catoosa County in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 9,263. It is part of the Chattanooga, TN–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. They were assigned to work in military offices which planned the shipment of troops around the world.
The advent of air travel provided Puerto Ricans with an affordable and faster way of travel to New York. The one thing that all of the migrants had in common was that they wanted a better way of life than was available in Puerto Rico, and although each held personal reasons for migrating, their decision generally was rooted in the island's impoverished conditions as well as the public policies that sanctioned migration.
In 1948, the Migration Division of the Department of Labor of Puerto Rico opened its office in New York City. Its mission was to mediate between the island and the New York/Puerto Rican community, assuage the adjustment experience of new arrivals, and generally inform them about jobs, housing and other critical concerns. It wasn't long before the Puerto Rican "Barrios" in the
South BronxThe South Bronx is an area of the New York City borough of The Bronx. The neighborhoods of Tremont, University Heights, Highbridge, Morrisania, Soundview, Hunts Point, and Castle Hill are sometimes considered part of the South Bronx....
, Spanish Harlem, Manhattan's Lower East Side and in Brooklyn's Atlantic Avenue began to resemble "Little Puerto Rico's" with their "Bodegas" (small grocery stores) and "
PiraguerosA piragua is a Puerto Rican shaved ice dessert, shaped like a pyramid, consisting of shaved ice and covered with fruit flavored syrup which are sold by vendors, known as piragüeros, in small colorful pushcarts...
" (Puerto Rican shaved ice venders) in every corner. It is estimated that from 1946 to 1950 there were 31,000 Puerto Rican migrants in New York.
Puerto Rican culture in New York
Puerto Ricans began to form their own small "
BarrioBarrio is a Spanish word meaning district or neighborhood.-Usage:In its formal usage in English, barrios are generally considered cohesive places, sharing, for example, a church and traditions such as feast days...
s", in
The BronxThe Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
,
BrooklynBrooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
and in East Harlem (which would become known as
Spanish HarlemEast Harlem, also known as Spanish Harlem and El Barrio, is a section of Harlem in the northeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. East Harlem is one of the largest predominantly Latino communities in New York City. It includes the area formerly known as Italian Harlem, in which...
). It was in East Harlem where the Puerto Rican migrants established a cultural life of great vitality and sociality. They also participated in some of the sports, such as boxing and baseball which were first introduced in the island by the American Armed Forces after the Spanish American War.
Puerto Ricans who moved to New York not only took with them their customs, traditions, they also took with them their
piraguasA piragua is a Puerto Rican shaved ice dessert, shaped like a pyramid, consisting of shaved ice and covered with fruit flavored syrup which are sold by vendors, known as piragüeros, in small colorful pushcarts...
, a Puerto Rican frozen treat, shaped like a pyramid, made of
shaved iceShaved ice is a large family of ice-based dessert made of fine shavings of ice or finely crushed ice topped with sweet condiments or syrups. The dessert is consumed world-wide in various forms and manners. Shaved ice can also mixed with large quantities of liquid to produce shaved ice drinks.Shaved...
and covered with fruit flavored syrup. According to
Holding Aloft the Banner of Ethiopia: by Winston James, piraguas were introduced in New York by Puerto Ricans as early as 1926.
Puerto Rican music
Puerto Rican music flourished with the likes of Rafael Hernández and
Pedro FloresPedro Flores born was one Puerto Rico's best known composers of Ballads and Boleros.-Early years:Flores was one of 12 children born into a poor family in the town of Naguabo, Puerto Rico. Flores' father died when he was only nine years old and therefore, he was forced to work at a young age...
who formed the "Trio Borincano" and gained recognition in the city.
Myrta SilvaMyrta Silva was a Puerto Rican singer, composer and television producer. She was known affectionately as "La Gorda De Oro".-Early years:...
who later joined Hernandez's "Cuarteto Victoria" also gained fame as a singer after the group traveled and played throughout the United States.
The South Bronx became a hub for Puerto Rican music. Theaters which had served to previous groups of immigrants, such as the Irish and the Italians, for their dramatic works or vaudeville style shows, now served the growing Puerto Rican and Latino population with musical performances from musicians from Puerto Rico and Latin America. Plus, the local Bronx's burgeoning Latino musicians. Among the most notable of these theaters were the historical
Teatro Puerto RicoThe Teatro Puerto Rico was to the Latino community in the South Bronx what the Apollo Theater was to the African American community in the Harlem section of Manhattan. During its 1940s to 1950s "golden era," it was the hub of la farándula, a vaudeville-style package of Spanish-language events, and...
at E. 138th St. and Hunts Point Palace in Southern Blvd. During the Teatro Puerto Rico's "golden era", which lasted from 1947 to 1956, musicians such as
Tito PuenteTito Puente, , born Ernesto Antonio Puente, was a Latin jazz and Salsa musician. The son of native Puerto Ricans Ernest and Ercilia Puente, of Spanish Harlem in New York City, Puente is often credited as "El Rey de los Timbales" and "The King of Latin Music"...
,
MachitoMachito , born as Francisco Raúl Gutiérrez Grillo, was an influential Latin jazz musician who helped refine Afro-Cuban jazz and create both Cubop and salsa music...
,
Tito RodríguezTito Rodríguez was a popular 1950s and 1960s Puerto Rican singer and bandleader. He is known by many fans as "El Inolvidable" , a moniker based on his most popular interpretation, a song written by composer Julio Gutierrez.-Early years:Rodríguez , born in Santurce, Puerto Rico,...
, Vicentico Valdes,
Marcelino GuerraMarcelino Guerra, also known as "Rapindey" was a Cuban singer and songwriter who spent much of his life in the United States. His primary role was as a segunda voz, or harmony, singer....
, Arsenio Rodríguez,
CharlieCharlie Palmieri was a renowned Bandleader and musical director of salsa music. He was known as "The Giant of the Keyboards".-Early years:...
and
Eddie PalmieriEddie Palmieri , is a Grammy Award winning Puerto Rican pianist, bandleader and musician, best known for combining jazz piano and instrumental solos with Latin rhythms.-Early years:...
,
Orlando MarinOrlando Marin is a Puerto Rican band leader and timbales player born in the Bronx, New York in 1935. He formed his first band, Eddie Palmieri and his Orchestra, in 1951-52 with himself as director and Eddie Palmieri as musical director and later on the piano.-Career:After his first group broke up,...
,
Manny OquendoManny Oquendo was an American percussionist. His main instrument was the timbales, and was strongly influenced by Cuban drumming.Oquendo grew up in New York, and began studying percussion in 1945...
,
Ray BarrettoRay Barretto was a Grammy Award-winning Puerto Rican jazz musician.-Early years:Barretto was born in New York City of Puerto Rican descent...
,
Barry RogersBarry Rogers was a salsa musician and jazz fusion trombonist.Born Barron W. Rogers in The Bronx, he descended from Polish Jews who came to New York City via London and was raised in Spanish Harlem...
,
Johnny PachecoJohnny Pacheco is a Dominican producer, musician, bandleader, and one of the most influential figures in American salsa music.-Early life:...
,
Joe LocoJoe Loco was an American Latin jazz and Latin pop pianist and arranger.Loco first played with an ensemble called Montecino's Happy Boys in 1938. In the early 1940s he served as Machito's pianist before joining the Air Force from 1945 to 1947...
, Joe Quijano,
Willie ColónWilliam Anthony Colón is a Nuyorican salsa musician. Primarily a trombonist, Colón also sings, writes, produces and acts. He is also involved in municipal politics in New York City.-Early years:...
,
Héctor LavoeHéctor Juan Pérez Martínez , better known as Héctor Lavoe, was a Puerto Rican salsa singer. Lavoe was born and raised in the Machuelito sector of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Early in his life, he attended a local music school and developed an interest inspired by Jesús Sánchez Erazo. He moved to New York...
,
José FelicianoJosé Feliciano is a Puerto Rican singer, virtuoso guitarist and composer known for many international hits including the 1970 holiday single "Feliz Navidad".-Childhood:...
and
Miguel PoventudMiguel Poventud a.k.a. "El Niño Prodigio de Guayama" and "Miguelito" , was a Puerto Rican musician, singer, actor and composer of Boleros...
made their stateside debuts.
1950s
The third great wave of domestic migration from Puerto Rico came after World War II. Nearly 40,000 Puerto Ricans settled in New York City in 1946, and 58,500 in 1952–53. Many soldiers who returned after World War II made use of the GI Bill and went to college. Puerto Rican women confronted economic exploitation, discrimination, racism, and the insecurities inherent in the migration process on a daily basis, however they fared better than did men in the job market. The women left their homes for the factories in record numbers. By 1953, Puerto Rican migration to New York reached its peak when 75,000 people left the island.
Operation BootstrapFor other uses, see Bootstrapping and Bootstrapping .Operation Bootstrap is the name given to the ambitious projects which industrialized Puerto Rico in the mid-20th century.-History:...
("Operación Manos a la Obra") is the name given to the ambitious projects which industrialized Puerto Rico in the mid-20th century engineered by
Teodoro MoscosoTeodoro Moscoso Mora , was a Puerto Rican politician known as "the architect of "Operation Bootstrap".-Early years:...
. The industry that was attracted did not provide sufficient jobs. With increased population growth and displacement from traditional labor pursuits, the growing population could not be accommodated. Much of the surplus labor migrated to the United States. In 1948, Puerto Ricans elected their first governor
Luis Muñoz MarínDon José Luis Alberto Muñoz Marín was a Puerto Rican poet, journalist, and politician. Regarded as the "father of modern Puerto Rico," he was the first democratically elected Governor of Puerto Rico. Muñoz Marín was the son of Luis Muñoz Rivera, a renowned autonomist leader...
, who together with his government initiated a series of social and economic reforms with the introduction of new programs in the island. Some of these programs met some resistance from the American government and therefore, the local government had some trouble implementing the same. New York Mayor
Robert F. Wagner, Jr.Robert Ferdinand Wagner II, usually known as Robert F. Wagner, Jr. served three terms as the mayor of New York City, from 1954 through 1965.-Biography:...
began a campaign to recruit Puerto Rican laborers in the island to work in the city's factories. Mayor Wagner figured that the city would benefit greatly by the luring of what was considered to be "cheap labor".
Discrimination was rampant in the United States and it was no different in New York. As stated by
Lolita LebrónDolores "Lolita" Lebrón Sotomayor was a Puerto Rican nationalist who wasconvicted of attempted murder and other crimes after leading an assault on the United States House of Representatives in 1954,...
, there were signs in restaurants which read
"No dogs or Puerto Ricans allowed". The
Puerto Rican Nationalist PartyThe Puerto Rican Nationalist Party was founded on September 17, 1922. Its main objective is to work for Puerto Rican Independence.In 1919, José Coll y Cuchí, a member of the Union Party of Puerto Rico, felt that the Union Party was not doing enough for the cause of Puerto Rican independence and he...
established an office in New York in the 1950s and attracted many migrants. Leaders of the party conceived a plan that would involve an attack on the
Blair HouseBlair House is the official state guest house for the President of the United States. It is located at 1651-1653 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., opposite the Old Executive Office Building of the White House, off the corner of Lafayette Park....
with the intention of assassinating United States President
Harry S. TrumanHarry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
and an attack on the House of Representatives. These events had a negative impact on the Puerto Rican migrants. Americans viewed Puerto Ricans as anti-Americans and the discrimination against them became even more widespread.
Many Puerto Ricans were able to overcome these obstacles and became respected members of their communities. Many such as
Antonia PantojaDr. Antonia Pantoja , educator, social worker, feminist, civil rights leader and founder of ASPIRA, the Puerto Rican Forum, Boricua College and Producir.-Early years:...
, established organizations such as "ASPIRA", that helped their fellow countrymen to reach their goals.
The first New York Puerto Rican Day Parade was held on Sunday, April 12, 1958 in the "Barrio" in Manhattan. Its first President was Victor López and it was coordinated by José Caballero. The Grand Marshall was Oscar González Suarez, Esq. Prominent personalities from Puerto Rico headed by then Governor Luis Muñoz Marín, attended the initial parade. The parade was organized as a show of Puerto Rican pride and is a tradition which not only continues today in the city of New York but, that has also extended to other cities such as
ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois and
Orlando, FloridaOrlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. By 1960, the United States census showed that there were well over 600,000 New Yorkers of Puerto Rican birth or parentage. Estimates were that more than one million Puerto Ricans had migrated during that period.
Nuyorican Movement
Puerto Rican writer
Jesús ColónJesús Colón was a Puerto Rican writer known as the Father of the Nuyorican Movement.-Early years:Colón was born in Cayey, Puerto Rico after the Spanish-American War when the American Tobacco Company gained control of most of the tobacco producing land in Puerto Rico. His father was a baker and his...
founded an intellectual movement involving poets, writers, musicians and artists who are Puerto Rican or of Puerto Rican descent and who live in or near New York City which became known as the
Nuyorican MovementThe Nuyorican Movement is a cultural and intellectual movement involving poets, writers, musicians and artists who are Puerto Rican or of Puerto Rican descent, who live in or near New York City, and either call themselves or are known as Nuyoricans...
. The phenomenon of the "Nuyoricans" came about when many Puerto Ricans who migrated to New York City faced difficult situations and hardships, such as racial discrimination. Their love for Puerto Rico and their situation of being in a faraway land that did not accept them totally, led to the creation of the "Nuyorican" subculture. In 1980, Puerto Rican poets
Miguel AlgarínMiguel Algarín , is a Puerto Rican poet, writer, co-founder of the Nuyorican Poets Café, and retired Rutgers University professor of English.-Early years:...
,
Miguel PiñeroMiguel Piñero was a Puerto Rican playwright, actor, and co-founder of the Nuyorican Poets Café. He was a leading member of the Nuyorican literary movement.-Early years:...
and
Pedro PietriPedro Pietri , was a Nuyorican poet and playwright who co-founded the Nuyorican Poets Café. He was the poet laureate of the Nuyorican Movement.-Early years :...
established the "Nuyorican Poets Café" on Manhattan's Lower East Side (236 E 3rd Street, between Avenues B and C) which is now considered a New York landmark.
Late 20th Century
By 1964, the Puerto Rican community made up 9.3 percent of the total New York City's population. The Puerto Rican migrants who gained economic success began to move away from the "Barrios" and settled in Queens and
Long IslandLong Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
or moved to other cities in other states. A wave of new immigrants from the
Dominican RepublicThe Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, Mexico and South America moved into the Barrios which were once mainly occupied by the Puerto Ricans. Amongst the states with a large Puerto Rican presence are
New JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
,
FloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
,
IllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
and
CaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The 1970s saw what became known as reverse-migration. Many Puerto Ricans returned to the island to buy homes and to invest in local businesses. Puerto Ricans have made many important contributions to New York and the society of the United States in general. They have contributed in the fields of entertainment, the arts, music, industry, science, politics and military. Other Puerto Ricans have moved from New York to settle in smaller cities throughout the Northeast. For example, in 2009 Puerto Ricans alone made up 29.1% of
Reading, Pennsylvania'sReading is a city in southeastern Pennsylvania, USA, and seat of Berks County. Reading is the principal city of the Greater Reading Area and had a population of 88,082 as of the 2010 census, making it the fifth most populated city in the state after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Erie,...
population, which was over 53% Hispanic, and 25.0% of
Lawrence, Massachusetts'Lawrence is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States on the Merrimack River. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a total population of 76,377. Surrounding communities include Methuen to the north, Andover to the southwest, and North Andover to the southeast. It and Salem are...
population, which was over 70% Hispanic.
Puerto Rican population in U.S. according to the 1980 Census Supplementary Report SI-7
| State |
Rank |
Total |
% Population in U.S. |
| New York |
1 |
986,389 |
49.0 |
| New Jersey |
2 |
243,540 |
12.1 |
| Illinois |
3 |
129,540 |
6.4 |
| Florida |
4 |
94,775 |
4.7 |
| California |
5 |
93,038 |
4.6 |
| Pennsylvania |
6 |
91,802 |
4.6 |
| Connecticut |
7 |
88,361 |
4.4 |
| Massachusetts |
8 |
76,450 |
3.8 |
| Ohio |
9 |
32,442 |
1.6 |
| Texas |
10 |
22,938 |
1.1 |
| Hawaii |
11 |
19,351 |
1.0 |
| Indiana |
12 |
12,683 |
0.6 |
| Michigan |
13 |
12,425 |
0.6 |
| Wisconsin |
14 |
10,483 |
0.5 |
| Virginia |
15 |
10,227 |
0.5 |
| Totals |
|
1,924,069 |
95.5 |
As of 1990, New Yorkers of Puerto Rican descent (Nuyoricans), numbered 143,974. Nearly 41,800 state residents (Nuyoricans) in 1990 had lived in Puerto Rico in 1985. According to the Census taken in the year 2000, Puerto Rican migrants make up a 1.2% of the total population of the United States with a population of well over 3 million Puerto Ricans (including those of Puerto Rican descent). If taken into account together with the almost 4 million Puerto Ricans who are U.S. citizens (nevertheless, excluded by the U.S. Census statistics of U.S. population), Puerto Ricans make up about 2.5% of the total population of U.S. citizens around the world (inside and outside the U.S. mainland).
Notable Puerto Ricans who migrated to New York
- Alvarez, Aida
Aída M. Álvarez is the first Hispanic woman and Puerto Rican to hold a United States Cabinet-level position.-Early years:Alvarez was born in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico into a family of modest economical means, who despite their hardships always encouraged her to pursue her dreams...
- former Small Business Administrator
- Belen, Ivonne
Ivonne Belén is a Puerto Rican documentary movie director and producer.-Early years:Belén was born and raised in San Juan, the Capital of Puerto Rico, where she received her primary and secondary education. As a child Belén enjoyed setting up improvised plays for her family. Her first...
- movie director
- Badillo, Herman
Herman Badillo is a Bronx, New York politician who has been a borough president, United States Representative, and candidate for Mayor of New York City. He was the first Puerto Rican to be elected to these posts and be a mayoral candidate in the continental United States.-Early years:Badillo was...
- first Puerto Rican to serve in Congress
- Braschi, Giannina
Giannina Braschi is a Puerto Rican writer. She is credited with writing the first Spanglish novel YO-YO BOING! and the poetry trilogy Empire of Dreams , which chronicles the Latin American immigrant's experiences in the United States...
- novelist and essayist
- Judge Cabranes, Jose A.
José Alberto Cabranes , is a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Formerly a practicing lawyer, government official, and law teacher, he was the first Puerto Rican appointed to a federal judgeship in the continental United States .-Background:Cabranes was born in...
- U.S. Circuit Judge
- Camacho Sr., Hector
Héctor Camacho , nicknamed "Macho Camacho", is a Puerto Rican professional boxer. His son, Héctor Camacho Jr., is also a boxer.- Early life and amateur career :...
- boxer
- Casals Istomin, Marta
Marta Casals Istomin , is the former president of Manhattan School of Music.- Early years :She was born Marta Montañez Martínez on November 2, 1936 in Humacao, Puerto Rico to a family of amateur musicians. As a child she was influenced by surroundings which were instrumental in the development of...
- musician
- Collazo, Oscar
Oscar Collazo , was one of two Puerto Ricans who attempted to assassinate U.S. President Harry S. Truman.-Early life:...
- Puerto Rican Nationalist
- Colon, Jesus
Jesús Colón was a Puerto Rican writer known as the Father of the Nuyorican Movement.-Early years:Colón was born in Cayey, Puerto Rico after the Spanish-American War when the American Tobacco Company gained control of most of the tobacco producing land in Puerto Rico. His father was a baker and his...
- writer
- Colon, Miriam - actress
- Rev. Cruz, Nicky
Nicky Cruz is a Christian evangelist, the founder of Nicky Cruz Outreach, an evangelistic Christian ministry. He was also once the director of Teen Challenge, serving under David Wilkerson before founding another ministry home himself in California...
- minister
- de Burgos, Julia
Julia Constancia Burgos García is considered by many as the greatest poet to have been born in Puerto Rico, and along with Gabriela Mistral, is considered as one of the greatest female poets of Latin America...
- poet
- Denis, Nelson Antonio
Nelson Antonio Denis is a former New York politician who represented East Harlem in the New York State Assembly.-Early life:Denis was born and raised in New York City...
- New York State Assemblyman; movie director
- Estavillo, Nicholas
NYPD Chief of Patrol Nicholas Estavillo , is a former member of the New York Police Department who in 2002 became the first Puerto Rican and the first Hispanic in the history of the NYPD to reach the three-star rank of Chief of Patrol.-Early years:Estavillo was born and raised in the sector Hato...
- the first Hispanic to become a three-star Chief in NYPD?
- Falcon. Angelo
Angelo Falcón is a political scientist best known for starting the Institute for Puerto Rican Policy in New York City in the early 1980s, a nonprofit and nonpartisan policy center that focuses on Latino issues in the United States. It is now known as the National Institute for Latino Policy and...
- political scientist
- Ferrer, Jose
José Vicente Ferrer de Otero y Cintrón , best known as José Ferrer, was a Puerto Rican actor, as well as a theater and film director...
- actor
- Garcia Rivera Sr., Oscar
Oscar Garcia Rivera, Sr. was a politician, lawyer and activist. Garcia Rivera made history when in 1937 he became the first Puerto Rican to be elected to public office in the continental United States...
- first Puerto Rican to hold public office in the mainland USA.
- Gonzalez, Isabel
Isabel González was a Puerto Rican activist who helped pave the way for Puerto Ricans to be given United States citizenship...
- paved the way for the Jones-Shafroth Act which conferred United States citizenship on all citizens of Puerto Rico.
- Holly, Maria Elena
María Elena Holly is the widow of rock and roll pioneer Buddy Holly. She owns the rights to his name, image, trademarks, and other intellectual property.-Early years:...
- widow of "rock n roll" pioneer Buddy HollyCharles Hardin Holley , known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll...
- Labarthe, Pedro J.
Pedro Juan Labarthe López de Victoria was a Puerto Rican poet, journalist, essayist, and novelist.-Birth place, training and life:...
- poet, journalist, essayist, and novelist
- Lebron, Lolita
Dolores "Lolita" Lebrón Sotomayor was a Puerto Rican nationalist who wasconvicted of attempted murder and other crimes after leading an assault on the United States House of Representatives in 1954,...
- Puerto Rican Nationalist
- Mendez, Olga A.
Olga A. Méndez was the first Puerto Rican woman elected to a state legislature in the United States mainland.-Early years:...
- New York State Senator
- Moreno, Rita
Rita Moreno is a Puerto Rican singer, dancer and actress. She is the only Hispanic and one of the few performers who have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony, and was the second Puerto Rican to win an Academy Award....
- actress
- Negroni, Joe
Joe Negroni was a rock and roll pioneer and founding member of the rock and roll group Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers.-Early years:...
- member of "The Teenagers"
- Ortiz, Carlos
For the Cuban wrestler with the same name see Carlos Julian OrtízCarlos Ortiz is a Puerto Rican who was a three time world boxing champion, twice in the lightweight division and once in the Jr. Welterweights....
- boxer
- Powell IV, Adam Clayton
Adam Clayton Powell IV , was a member of the New York State Assembly. From 1992-1997 he served as New York City Council Member representing East Harlem and parts of the Upper West Side and the South Bronx. Since 2000, Powell has represented the 68th Assembly District, which includes parts of Harlem...
- N.Y. State Assembly member
- Santiago, Herman
Herman Santiago is a rock and roll pioneer and songwriter who claimed to have written the iconic hit "Why Do Fools Fall In Love".-Early years:Santiago was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and raised in Manhattan, New York...
- composer of "Why do Fools Fall in Love"
- Schomburg, Arturo Alfonso
Arturo Alfonso Schomburg, a.k.a. as Arthur Schomburg, , was a Puerto Rican historian, writer, and activist in the United States who researched and raised awareness of the great contributions that Afro-Latin Americans and Afro-Americans have made to society. He was an important intellectual figure...
- considered by many as the "Father of Black History".
- Torres, Jose
José Torres , was a Puerto Rican professional boxer. As an amateur boxer, he won a silver medal in the junior middleweight at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne. In 1965, he defeated Willie Pastrano to win the WBC and WBA light heavyweight championships...
- boxer
- Velazquez, Nydia
Nydia Margarita Velázquez is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes residential areas of three boroughs...
- Congresswoman
See also
External links