KhailaGohanna

Humanities
CutlerEdwards
11/13/15

PuertoRicanPenury
MuchofU.Simmigrationhashappenedasaresultofforeigninvasionforexamplethe
SpanishAmericanwar,whichwaswhenPuertoRicohadbecomepropertyoftheUnited
States.Therepresentativeshadsignedthearmisticewhichbroughtthebattletoahalt.Inthat
timetheSpanishandAmericandiplomatshadmetinParistodiscussanendtothewarandthe
terms1,whichleadtoPuertoRicobecomingapartoftheU.SwhenTheTreatyofParisissued
theannexationofthecountry.2
InbetweenthetimeofconvertingPuertoRicoscolonialgovernmentintoa
commonwealthgovernmenttherebecametwopoliticalgroupsthatformed:theNationalist
governmentandtheU.Sgovernment(Yankees).Thiscausedmultipleviolentaltercations
betweenthetwoparties.ThedividedpartiescausedPuertoRicotogointoadownwardspiral
politicallyandeconomically,creatinganunsafeenvironmentfortheunbiasedlocals.3Violence,
furloughandpovertywereatanalltimehighandleftthemwithonesolution,whichwastoleave
PuertoRicofortheUnitedStates.

TheTreatyofParis:AugustDecember1898,
SparkNotes,
http://www.sparknotes.com/history/american/spanishamerican/section8.rhtml
,(November15,2015)
2
R,D."CouldPuertoRicoBecomeAmerica's51stState?"
TheEconomist
.TheEconomistNewspaper,21
Oct.2013.Web.4Nov.2015
3
JuanGonzalez
HarvestofEmpire,AHistoryofLatinosinAmerica
(UnitedStates:PenguinBooks,2011)
84,87
1

DuringthemanybattlesbetweentheNationalistandtheYankees,itcausedthestreets
ofPuertoRicotobecomeunsafeandthatcausedmanytoimmigrate.Forexample,inPonce,
PuertoRicobecamethemainplacewherethetwopartiesfought.The1930swereavery
violenttimeforciviliansbecausetheywerecaughtinthecrossfireandleadtomanydeaths.In
1937,theNationalistsweremarchingpeacefullyforthereleaseoftheirparty'sleader,Pedro
AlbizuCampos,fromhisseditionconspiracycharges.Whentheyallgatheredtomarchin
Ponce,theAmericansoldiersmetthemandbegantoshootdowntheprotesters,leaving21
deadand150wounded.ItwasthelargestmassacrerecordedinPuertoRicanhistory.Creating
evenmoreofadivideinthecountry.4
TherewasaninfluxofPuertoRicanimmigrantsduringandafterWorldWartwodueto
theneedofjobsandeasyaccessibilitytotheUnitedStates.Manyotherimmigrantgroupswere
recruitedbycompanieslookingforcheaplaborundertheImmigrationAct.Whichinitiateda
quotaforothernationalitiesallowedintheU.S,butthatdidn'trestrictPuertoRicanimmigrants
inthe1980sand1990s.5InsteaditonlyincreasedthedesireofemigratingtotheUnited
States.
Anotherreasonmanylocalsleftisbecauseofthesevereeconomicproblems,dueto
unnecessaryspendingsontouristattractions.AccordingtoPewHispanic,duringthe1970s,the
islandseconomywasstagnant,whichwasshownbyitshighunemploymentrateat13.1

JuanGonzalez
HarvestofEmpire,AHistoryofLatinosinAmerica
(UnitedStates:PenguinBooks,2011)
85
5
"WhoWasShutOut?:ImmigrationQuotas,19251927."
WhoWasShutOut?:ImmigrationQuotas,
19251927
.AmericanSocialHistoryProductions.Web.5Nov.2015
4

percent,comparedtotheU.Swhichwas6.1percent.Personalincomes,disabilitypayments,
transferpayments,andfoodstampswere40percentlessaccessibleontheislandtheninthe
UnitedStates.Thisdiscouragedpeoplefromjoiningtheworkforceduetothelongstanding
governmenttaxbreakandthelossinthousandsofmanufacturingjobs.6Duringthistime,the
onlysolutionwastoleavethegriefstrickencountry.
TheavailabilityofjobsintheU.SwasahugepullfactorforthePuertoRicans.Pew
Hispanicsstatisticsstatethestandardearningforamainlandbornwas$28,750peryearwhile
islandbornwas$16,000.Only27%ofPuertoRicanswereinpovertyonthemainland
comparingtothe45%ontheisland.7Thelowerpovertyrateonthemainlandleadtomore
opportunitiesforPuertoRicanstostartanewlifeandnotworryaboutsevereeconomiccrisis
andviolentneighborhoods.Asmoreandmoreimmigrantscame,theoriginoftheirbirthplace
becameanissueofhowyouwouldbeacceptedinsocietyalongwithyourfinancialstatusandif
youweretrulyanAmericancitizen.
AfterWorldWarIImany,PuertoRicansfeltasiftheyhadearnedaplaceinAmericaby
fightingalongsidetheiramericancounterparts.TheyfeltasiftheyhadarighttobeonAmerican
soil,butmanycomplicationscamewithlivinginAmerica.Duringthe1940s,butsegregationhad
leadtoconflictsbetweenthePuertoRicansandItalianAmericans.Specifically,inEastHarlem,

Cohn,D'vera,EileenPatten,andMarkHugoLopez."Chapter2:IslandHispanicsofPuertoRicanOrigin."
PewResearchCentersHispanicTrendsProjectRSS
.PewResearchCenter,11Aug.2014.Web.5Nov.
2015.

7
Cohn,D'vera,EileenPatten,andMarkHugoLopez."Chapter2:IslandHispanicsofPuertoRicanOrigin."
PewResearchCentersHispanicTrendsProjectRSS
.PewResearchCenter,11Aug.2014.Web.5Nov.
2015.

NewYork,theItalianAmericansdidntlikeoutsidersintheirneighborhoodandbecamevery
protectiveandstreetgangsformed.Someofthegangmemberskeptwatchofthecityand
chasedoffmanyPuertoRicanswhocameby.Theethnictensionwasbackundercontrolwhen
aPuertoRicanlocalcongressman,VitoMarcantoniocreatedauniquecoalitionofEast
Harlemsethnicandracialgroups.HewasthevoiceoftheunheardvoicesofPuertoRicansby
advocatingforthepoor,homeless,andunemployedheevenhelpedOscarGarcia,hisprotege
getelectedforthecountry'sfirstPuertoRicaninpoliticaloffice.8AllhisworkforthePuerto
RicanandItalianamericancommunityhelpedmaintainedthepeace.Eventhoughtheeffects
forpeacewereadmirable,therewasstillminoraltercationswithintheethnicgroups.
Duringthe1950saethnicwarbegantorisebetweentheItalianAmericansandPuerto
Ricans.TheItalianshadblamedthePuertoRicansforthelossofMarcantonioandleadtomany
PuertoRicansbeingjumpedonthestreet.ManyofthedarkskinnedPuertoRicanswere
stabbedorbeatentoneardeathandinordertoprotectthemselvesfromanymoreharmthey
organizedtheirowngangs.Fromtheseactionsthiscausedgangviolencetobeatanalltime
high,butbroughtinmorePuertoRicanstohelptheirfamilymembersinthegangs.9Astheneed
tohelpincreased,thegangviolencehaddecreaseduntilitbecamenonexistent,onceagain
restoringthepeaceandcommunityintoNewYork.

JuanGonzalez
HarvestofEmpire,AHistoryofLatinosinAmerica
(UnitedStates:PenguinBooks,2011)
87,88
9
JuanGonzalez
HarvestofEmpire,AHistoryofLatinosinAmerica
(UnitedStates:PenguinBooks,2011)
89
8

Althoughtheexternalconflictswithothernationalitieshadseized,internalconflictswith
thePuertoRicansidentityshadbegantoarise.ManyPuertoRicansfacedissueswithracial
identificationandacknowledgingtheirculture.Inthebook
AlmostaWoman
byEsmeralda
Santiago,sheandherfamilyhadahardtimeidentifyingtheirheritageaswellasassimilatingto
AmericanCulture.ShedealswiththeAmericanexpectationsofbeingateenager,whiletryingto
staytruetoherculture.Santiagowrites,Iwantedtoliveinthoseuncrowded,horizontal
landscapespaintedinprimarycolorswerealgoneverhappened,whereteenagerslikemelived
blissfulignoranceofviolenceandcrime,wherenoonehadsevensistersandbrothers,where
grandmothersdidntdrinkbeerlateintothenightandmothersdidntneedyoutotranslateatthe
welfareoffice(28).ThisshowsthatshewantedtolivetheAmericanizedlifestyleandnothave
todealwiththeweightofherheritageandthecrutchofherculture,butEsmeraldahadtogo
throughmanyinternalconflictstofindheridentityandnotforgettingwhereshecamefrom.
EventhoughPuertoRicanshadahardtimeadjustingtoAmericanculture,theyhada
hugeimpactonAmericanculture.Duringthe1960s1970sitbecameatimewherePuerto
RicansandAfricanamericanshadbeenahugeinfluenceinmusic,artanddance.TheBronx
specificallyhadbecomethebirthplaceofhiphopbyturningthegangviolence,drugsand
povertyintosomethingpositive.ForexampleZulunation,hadahugeimpactonthecommunity
andbringingpeopletogethertostoptheviolenceandcrimeandcreateapeacefulenvironment

foreveryone.Itbecameamusicrevolutionandfromtherehiphopwasbornandisstill
influentialtoourculturetoday. 10
Overall,PuertoRicanhadadifficulttimeleavingtheirhomeandeverythingtheyknew
andlovedtohaveabetterfuture,aswouldanyotherimmigrantgroup.Sincetheydidn'tneedto
haveagreencarditwaseasytogetthere,buttheyunderstoodthatadjustingtotheAmerican
lifestylewouldn'tbeeasy.Theyhadtoputinhardworktohaveagoodfutureandbecome
successful.Eveniftheylivedintheghettosandhadsomeconflictstheystillperseveredand
createdbetterfuturethemselves.Thoughtheydidntunderstandourculture,thePuertoRicans
impactedours.
R,D."CouldPuertoRicoBecomeAmerica's51stState?"
TheEconomist
.TheEconomistNewspaper,21
Oct.2013.Web.4Nov.2015

JuanGonzalez
HarvestofEmpire,AHistoryofLatinosinAmerica
(UnitedStates:PenguinBooks,2011)
84,87

JuanGonzalez
HarvestofEmpire,AHistoryofLatinosinAmerica
(UnitedStates:PenguinBooks,2011)
85

"WhoWasShutOut?:ImmigrationQuotas,19251927."
WhoWasShutOut?:ImmigrationQuotas,
19251927
.AmericanSocialHistoryProductions.Web.5Nov.2015

Cohn,D'vera,EileenPatten,andMarkHugoLopez."Chapter2:IslandHispanicsofPuertoRicanOrigin."
PewResearchCentersHispanicTrendsProjectRSS
.PewResearchCenter,11Aug.2014.Web.5Nov.
2015

Cohn,D'vera,EileenPatten,andMarkHugoLopez."Chapter2:IslandHispanicsofPuertoRicanOrigin."
PewResearchCentersHispanicTrendsProjectRSS
.PewResearchCenter,11Aug.2014.Web.5Nov.
2015
.

JuanGonzalez
HarvestofEmpire,AHistoryofLatinosinAmerica
(UnitedStates:PenguinBooks,2011)
87,88

JuanGonzalez
HarvestofEmpire,AHistoryofLatinosinAmerica
(UnitedStates:PenguinBooks,2011)
89

10

Orange,Karim."AfrikaBambaataa:TheHistoryofTheUniversalZuluNation,HipHop,Cultureand
ElectroFunk."
TheHuffingtonPost
.TheHuffingtonPost.com,23Jan.2014.Web.6Nov.2015.

Orange,Karim."AfrikaBambaataa:TheHistoryofTheUniversalZuluNation,HipHop,CultureandElectro
Funk."
TheHuffingtonPost
.TheHuffingtonPost.com,23Jan.2014.Web.6Nov.2015.

"TheTreatyofParis:AugustDecember1898."
SparkNotes
.SparkNotes.Web.16Nov.2015.