I.Introduction:
3 largest Hispanic groups in 1990
A.Mexicans:
13 ½ million--more than 60% of Hispanics (mainly in Southwest)
B.Puerto
Ricans: 2.7 million (mainly in Northeast)
C.
Cubans: 1 million (from 5% of Hispanics in 1990 to about 4% now) (mainly
S. Florida)
D.
Hispanics (Lantinos) can’t be lumped together; different experiences in
U.S.
Puerto
Ricans
I.Puerto
Rico: U.S. colony
A.
Acquired from Spanish-American War in 1898 (Treaty of Paris)
B.
Governor appointed by U.S.; legislature could be over-ruled by Congress
C.
Citizenship granted by Jones Act 1917
D.
Commonwealth Status granted in 1948:
1.
can’t vote in federal elections or for President unless legal resident
of mainland
a.
Not represented in Congress
2.
Don’t pay federal income taxes but get some federal grants in aid
3.Subject
to U.S. military service
4.Courts
part of U.S. system; may appeal to Supreme Court
E.
Underdeveloped Economy
1.
1/3 below poverty line
2.
In 1982, 2/3 were receiving food stamps
3.Standard
of living ½ of U.S. mainland, but better than most of Latin America
II. Three
factors account for Post-WWII influx: (from 70,000 in 1940 to 2.7 million
in 1990)
A.Legally
citizens, therefore can’t be stopped
B.Cheap
Airfares to NY
C.Low
standard of living and unemployment in Puerto Rico
III. Culture
Shock: Color Bar and Discrimination encountered on mainland
A.Demographic
mix: native pop of island largely killed by white diseases
B.Institution
of slavery: large African heritage on island
C.Color
gradient in Puerto Rico: continuum from light to dark vs. dichotomy in
U.S.
D.2
barriers account for low median family income on mainland:
1.
Color bar: labeled as blacks and discriminated against
2.Language:
employers want English, discriminate against Spanish speakers
Four
Waves of Cuban Immigration
I. Golden
Exiles (1959-1962) 200,000:
overrepresentation of top layers of Cuban Society
A.
Former gov officials, bankers, industrialists, large landlords initially
B.
Followed by managerial, technical, professional layers (about 1/3)
1.Cuba
looses more than half of doctors and professors to Dade County
C.
2/3 white collar vs. 1/4 in Cuba
D.
1/3 high school grads or some college vs. 4% in Cuba
E.
Create enclave economy: Cuban society in embryo which absorbs following
waves
II.Camarioca
Exiles (1965-late 1970s): 250,000
Midlayers of Cuban Society
III. Marielitos
(March-September 1980): 125,000
A.
Media stigmatizes: younger single males, 16% in Cuba’s prisons, 1500 mental
problems
B.
71% blue-collar, 40-50% black, lower educ than Golden exiles but higher
than Cuba C. Despite stigma,
absorbed into community by 1990: unemployment low 5.6%
V.Balseros
(1994) 30,000:to Guantanamo;
finally enter U.S.; now 20,000 legal immigrants/yr.