Cultural diversity in Puerto Rico
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Non-Hispanic cultural diversity in Puerto Rico and the basic foundation of Puerto Rican culture began with the mixture of the Spanish, Taíno and African cultures in the beginning of the 16th century. In the early 19th century, Puerto Rican culture became more diversified with the arrival of hundreds of families from non-Hispanic countries such as
Corsica Corsica ( , Upper , Southern ; it, Corsica; ; french: Corse ; lij, Còrsega; sc, Còssiga) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 18 regions of France. It is the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of ...
,
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
,
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and
Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...
. To a lesser extent other settlers came from
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,
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and
Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to ...
. Factors that contributed to the immigration of non-Hispanic families to Puerto Rico included the advent of the Second Industrial Revolution, and widespread crop failures in Europe. All this, plus the spread of the cholera epidemic, came at a time when desire for independence was growing among Spanish subjects of Spain's last two colonies in the Western Hemisphere, Puerto Rico and Cuba. As a consequence the Spanish Crown made concessions with the establishment of the "Real Cédula de Gracias de 1815" (
Royal Decree of Graces of 1815 The Royal Decree of Graces of 1815 ( Spanish: ''Real Cédula de Gracias'') is a legal order approved by the Spanish Crown in the early half of the 19th century to encourage Spaniards and, later, Europeans of non-Spanish origin, to settle in and po ...
), which allowed European Catholics to settle in the island with land allotments in the interior of the island, provided they agreed to pay taxes and continue to support the Catholic Church. Archivo General de Puerto Rico: Documentos
Retrieved August 3, 2007
In 1870, the Spanish Courts also passed the "Acta de Culto Condicionado" (Conditional Cult Act), a law granting the right of religious freedom to all those who wished to worship another religion other than the Catholic religion. In Puerto Rico they adopted the local customs and intermarried with the locals. One of the consequences of the diversification of the cultures is that there are many Puerto Ricans and people of Puerto Rican descent who have non-Hispanic surnames. Puerto Rican surnames are not limited to those from Spain. Puerto Ricans commonly use both their father's and mother's surnames. It is thus not unusual to find someone with a non-Hispanic surname and a Hispanic surname. Two examples are
Ramón Power y Giralt Captain Ramón Power y Giralt (October 7, 1775 – June 10, 1813), commonly known as Ramón Power, was, according to Puerto Rican historian Lidio Cruz Monclova, among the first native-born Puerto Ricans to refer to himself as a " Puerto Rican" a ...
and Demetrio O'Daly y Puente. Both of these Puerto Ricans have their father's Irish surname and their mother's Spanish surname."Mainland Passage: The Cultural Anomaly of Puerto Rico"; by: Ramon E. Soto-Crespo; Publisher: Univ of Minnesota Press; ; Other factors, such as the Great Depression and World War II, contributed to the large migration of Puerto Ricans to the United States mainland. Many Puerto Ricans married with non-Hispanics and had children of Puerto Rican descent who were inscribed with non-Hispanic surnames. Since 2007, the Government of Puerto Rico has been issuing "Certificates of Puerto Rican Citizenship" to anyone born in Puerto Rico or to anyone born outside of Puerto Rico with at least one parent who was born in Puerto Rico.
Departamento de Estado expedirá certificados de ciudadanía puertorriqueña
Puerto Rican citizenship was first legislated by the
United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is Bicameralism, bicameral, composed of a lower body, the United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives, and an upper body, ...
in Article 7 of the
Foraker Act The Foraker Act, , officially known as the Organic Act of 1900, is a United States federal law that established civilian (albeit limited popular) government on the island of Puerto Rico, which had recently become a possession of the United State ...
of 1900 and later recognized in the
Constitution of Puerto Rico The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, Constitución del Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico) is the controlling government document of Puerto Rico. It is composed of nine articles detailing the structure of the government ...
.(Spanish) 97 DTS 135 -- ''Ramírez de Ferrer v. Mari Brás''
/ref> Puerto Rican citizenship existed before the U.S. takeover of the islands of
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...
and continued afterwards.''Puerto Rico: Hearing before the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.''
US Senate. 109th Congress, 2nd Session on The Report by the President's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Status. Nov 15, 2006. page 114.
The contributions made by non-Hispanics to music, art, literature language, cuisine, religion and heritage, were instrumental in the development of modern-day Puerto Rican culture. The mixture of both the Hispanic and non-Hispanic immigrant cultures are evident in the island's political, commercial and religious structures.


First settlers

The first people from Europe to arrive in Puerto Rico were the Spanish Conquistadores. The island, called Borikén, at that time was inhabited by the Taíno Amerindians. Many Jews also known as "converso" came to Puerto Rico as members of the Spanish crews. The Jews who arrived and settled in Puerto Rico were referred to as "Crypto-Jews" or "secret Jews". When the Crypto Jews arrived on the island of Puerto Rico, they were hoping to avoid religious scrutiny, but the Inquisition followed the colonists. The Inquisition maintained "no rota" or religious court in Puerto Rico. However, heretics were written up and if necessary remanded to regional Inquisitional tribunals in Spain or elsewhere in the western hemisphere. As a result, many secret Jews settled the island's remote mountainous interior far from the concentrated centers of power in San Juan and lived quiet lives. They practiced crypto-Judaism, meaning that they secretly practiced Judaism while publicly professing to be Roman Catholic. Many Spaniards intermarried with Taínos women and much of the Taíno culture was mixed with that of the Spanish culture. Many Puerto Ricans today retain Taíno linguistic features, agricultural practices, food ways, medicine, fishing practices, technology, architecture,
oral history Oral history is the collection and study of historical information about individuals, families, important events, or everyday life using audiotapes, videotapes, or transcriptions of planned interviews. These interviews are conducted with people wh ...
, and religious views. Many Taíno traditions, customs, and practices have been continued. The Spaniards enslaved the Taínos (the native inhabitants of the island), and many of them died as a result of Spaniards' oppressive colonization efforts. This presented a problem for Spain's royal government, which relied on slavery to staff their mining and fort-building operations. Spain's "solution": import enslaved west-Africans. The slaves were baptized by the Catholic Church and assumed the surnames of their owners. By 1570, the gold mines were declared depleted of the precious metal. After gold mining came to an end on the island, the Spanish Crown bypassed Puerto Rico by moving the western shipping routes to the north. The island became primarily a garrison for those ships that would pass on their way to or from richer colonies.African Aspects of the Puerto Rican Personality by (the late) Dr. Robert A. Martinez, Baruch College
(Archived fro

on July 20, 2007)


The Africans

African free men accompanied the invading Spanish
Conquistador Conquistadors (, ) or conquistadores (, ; meaning 'conquerors') were the explorer-soldiers of the Spanish and Portuguese Empires of the 15th and 16th centuries. During the Age of Discovery, conquistadors sailed beyond Europe to the Americas, ...
s. The Spaniards enslaved the Taínos (the native inhabitants of the island), and many of them died as a result of Spaniards' oppressive colonization efforts. This presented a problem for Spain's royal government, which relied on
slavery Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...
to staff their mining and fort-building operations. Spain's "solution": import enslaved west-Africans. As a result, the majority of the African peoples who arrived at
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...
did so as a result of the
slave trade Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...
from many different societies of the
Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
n continent. A Spanish edict of 1664 offered freedom and land to African people from non-Spanish colonies, such as Jamaica and St. Dominique (Haiti), who immigrated to Puerto Rico and provided a population base to support the Puerto Rican garrison and its forts. Those freemen who settled the western and southern parts of the island soon adopted the ways and customs of the Spaniards. Some joined the local militia, which fought the British in their many attempts to invade the island. The escaped African slaves kept their former masters surnames; the free Africans who had emigrated from the West Indies had European surnames from those colonists, too. Such surnames tended to be either British or French. Therefore, it was common for Puerto Ricans of African ancestry to have non-Spanish surnames. The descendants of the former African slaves became instrumental in the development of Puerto Rico's political, economic and cultural structure. They overcame many obstacles and have made their presence felt with their contributions to the island's entertainment, sports, literature and scientific institutions. Their contributions and heritage can still be felt today in Puerto Rico's art, music, cuisine, and religious beliefs in everyday life. In Puerto Rico, March 22 is known as "Abolition Day" and it is a holiday celebrated by those who live in the island.


The Irish

From the 16th to the 19th century, there was considerable Irish immigration to Puerto Rico, for a number of reasons. During the 16th century many Irishmen, who were known as " Wild Geese", fled the English Army and joined the Spanish Army. Some of these men were stationed in Puerto Rico and remained there after their military service to Spain was completed. During the 18th century men such as Field Marshal
Alejandro O'Reilly Alejandro O'Reilly, 1st Count of O'Reilly, KOA (; October 24, 1723 in Baltrasna, Co. Meath, Ireland – March 23, 1794 in Bonete, Spain), English: Alexander, Count of O'Reilly, Irish: ''Alastar Ó Raghallaigh, ''was an Irish-born military refo ...
and Colonel Tomas O'Daly were sent to the island to revamp the capital's fortifications.." O'Reilly was later appointed governor of colonial
Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is bord ...
in 1769 where he became known as "Bloody O'Reilly". Among the members of the O'Neill family whose contributions to Puerto Rican culture are evident today are Hector O'Neill, politician and Mayor
Ana María O'Neill Ana María O'Neill (March 7, 1894 – May 24, 1981) was an educator, author and advocate of women's rights. Early years O'Neill was born in the town of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico where she received her primary and secondary education. She enrolled a ...
an educator, author and advocate of
women's rights Women's rights are the rights and entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st centuries. In some countri ...
.Biografias
and María de Mater O'Neill an artist, lithographer, and professor.


The French

The French immigration to Puerto Rico began as a result of economic and political conditions in places such as Louisiana (USA) and Saint-Domingue (Haiti). On the outbreak of the French and Indian War, also known as the Seven Years' War (1754-1763), between the Kingdom of Great Britain and its North American Colonies against France, many of the French settlers fled to Puerto Rico. In the 1791, Saint-Domingue (Haiti) uprising, slaves were organized into an army led by the self-appointed general Toussaint Louverture and rebelled against the French. The ultimate victory of the slaves over their white masters came about after the Battle of Vertières in 1803. The French fled to Santo Domingo and made their way to Puerto Rico. Once there, they settled in the western region of the island in towns such as Mayagüez. With their expertise, they helped develop the island's sugar industry, converting Puerto Rico into a world leader in the exportation of sugar. French immigration from mainland France and its territories to Puerto Rico was the largest in number, second only to Spanish immigrants and today a great number of Puerto Ricans can claim French ancestry; 16 percent of the surnames on the island are either French or French-Corsican. Their influence in Puerto Rican culture is very much present and in evidence in the island's
cuisine A cuisine is a style of cooking characterized by distinctive ingredients, techniques and dishes, and usually associated with a specific culture or geographic region. Regional food preparation techniques, customs, and ingredients combine to ...
,
literature Literature is any collection of Writing, written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to ...
and arts. The contributions of Puerto Ricans of French descent such as Manuel Gregorio Tavárez, Nilita Vientós Gastón and Fermín Tangüis can be found, but are not limited to, the fields of music, education and science.


Royal Decree of Graces of 1815

By 1825, the Spanish Empire had lost all of its territories in the Americas with the exception of Cuba and Puerto Rico. These two possessions, however, had been demanding more autonomy since the formation of pro-independence movements in 1808. Realizing that it was in danger of losing its two remaining Caribbean territories, the Spanish Crown revived the Royal Decree of Graces of 1815. The decree was printed in three languages — Spanish, English and French — intending to attract Europeans of non-Spanish origin, with the hope that the independence movements would lose their popularity and strength with the arrival of new settlers. Under the Spanish Royal Decree of Graces, immigrants were granted land and initially given a "Letter of Domicile" after swearing loyalty to the Spanish Crown and allegiance to the Catholic Church. After five years they could request a "Letter of Naturalization" that would make them Spanish subjects. The Royal Decree, was intended for non-Hispanic Europeans and not Asians nor people that were not Christian. In 1897, the Spanish Cortés also granted Puerto Rico a Charter of Autonomy, which recognized the island's sovereignty and right to self-government. By April 1898, the first Puerto Rican legislature was elected and called to order.


Famine

Many economic and political changes occurred in Europe during the latter part of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century. Hundreds of farm workers abandoned their work in agriculture and moved to the larger cities with the advent of the Second Industrial Revolution in search of better paying jobs. Those who stayed behind and attended their farmlands suffered from diseases like the cholera epidemic, and the consequences of widespread crop failure from long periods of drought and the potato fungus that caused the Great Famine of Ireland of the 1840s. Starvation was widespread in Europe. In Ireland, the famine killed over one million Irish people and created nearly two million refugees.


The Corsicans

The island of Puerto Rico is very similar in geography to the island of Corsica and therefore appealed to the many Corsicans who wanted to start a "new" life. Hundreds of Corsicans and their families immigrated to Puerto Rico from as early as 1830, and their numbers peaked in the early 1900s. The first Spanish settlers settled and owned the land in the coastal areas, the Corsicans tended to settle the mountainous southwestern region of the island, primarily in the towns of
Adjuntas Adjuntas (, ) is a small mountainside town and municipality in Puerto Rico located central midwestern portion of the island on the Cordillera Central, north of Yauco, Guayanilla, and Peñuelas; southeast of Utuado; east of Lares and Yauco; a ...
,
Lares Lares ( , ; archaic , singular ''Lar'') were guardian deities in ancient Roman religion. Their origin is uncertain; they may have been hero-ancestors, guardians of the hearth, fields, boundaries, or fruitfulness, or an amalgam of these. Lare ...
,
Utuado Utuado () is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the central mountainous region of the island known as the '' Cordillera Central''. It is located north of Adjuntas and Ponce; south of Hatillo and Arecibo; east of Lares; and west ...
, Ponce,
Coamo Coamo (, ) is a town and municipality founded in 1579 in the south-central region of Puerto Rico, located north of Santa Isabel; south of Orocovis and Barranquitas; east of Villalba and Juana Díaz; and west of Aibonito and Salinas. Coamo ...
,
Yauco Yauco () is a town and municipality in southern Puerto Rico. Although the downtown is inland, the municipality stretches to a southern coast facing the Caribbean Sea. Yauco is located south of Maricao, Lares and Adjuntas; east of Sabana G ...
,
Guayanilla Guayanilla (, ) is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located on the southern coast of the island, bordering the Caribbean Sea, south of Adjuntas, east of Yauco; and west of Peñuelas and about west of Ponce. Guayanilla is spread over 16 ...
and Guánica. However, it was Yauco whose rich agricultural area attracted the majority of the Corsican settlers. The three main crops in Yauco were coffee, sugar cane and tobacco. The new settlers dedicated themselves to the cultivation of these crops and within a short period of time some were even able to own and operate their own grocery stores. However, it was with the cultivation of the coffee bean that they would make their fortunes. The descendants of the Corsican settlers were also to become influential in the fields of education, literature, journalism and politics. Today the town of Yauco is known as both the "Corsican Town" and "The Coffee Town". There's a memorial in Yauco with the inscription, "To the memory of our citizens of Corsican origin, France, who in the C19 became rooted in our village, who have enriched our culture with their traditions and helped our progress with their dedicated work - the municipality of Yauco pays them homage." The Corsican element of Puerto Rico is very much in evidence, Corsican surnames such as Paoli, Negroni and Fraticelli are common.


The Germans

German immigrants arrived in Puerto Rico from Curaçao and Austria during the early 19th century. Many of these early German immigrants established warehouses and businesses in the coastal towns of Fajardo, Arroyo, Ponce, Mayagüez, Cabo Rojo and Aguadilla. One of the reasons that these businessman established themselves in the island was that Germany depended mostly on Great Britain for such products as coffee, sugar and tobacco. By establishing businesses dedicated to the exportation and importation of these and other goods, Germany no longer had to pay England high tariffs. Not all immigrants were businessmen—some were teachers, farmers, and skilled laborers. In Germany, the European Revolutions of 1848 in the German states erupted, leading to the Frankfurt Parliament. Ultimately, the rather non-violent "revolution" failed. Disappointed, many Germans immigrated to the Americas and Puerto Rico, dubbed as the Forty-Eighters. The majority of these came from Alsace-Lorraine,
Baden Baden (; ) is a historical territory in South Germany, in earlier times on both sides of the Upper Rhine but since the Napoleonic Wars only East of the Rhine. History The margraves of Baden originated from the House of Zähringen. Baden i ...
,
Hesse Hesse (, , ) or Hessia (, ; german: Hessen ), officially the State of Hessen (german: links=no, Land Hessen), is a state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt. Two other major historic cities are ...
,
Rheinland The Rhineland (german: Rheinland; french: Rhénanie; nl, Rijnland; ksh, Rhingland; Latinised name: ''Rhenania'') is a loosely defined area of Western Germany along the Rhine, chiefly its middle section. Term Historically, the Rhineland ...
and
Württemberg Württemberg ( ; ) is a historical German territory roughly corresponding to the cultural and linguistic region of Swabia. The main town of the region is Stuttgart. Together with Baden and Hohenzollern, two other historical territories, Württ ...
. German immigrants were able to settle in the coastal areas and establish their businesses in towns such as Fajardo, Arroyo, Ponce, Mayagüez, Cabo Rojo and Aguadilla. Those who expected free land under the terms of the Spanish Royal Decree, settled in the central mountainous areas of the island in towns such as Adjuntas, Aibonito and Ciales among others. They made their living in the agricultural sector and in some cases became owners of sugar cane plantations. Others dedicated themselves to the fishing industry. In 1870, the Spanish Courts passed the "Acta de Culto Condicionado" (Conditional Cult Act), a law granting the right of religious freedom to all those who wished to worship another religion other than the Catholic religion. The Anglican Church, the Iglesia Santísima Trinidad, was founded by German and English immigrants in Ponce in 1872. By the beginning of the 20th century, many of the descendants of the first German settlers had become successful businessmen, educators, and scientists and were among the pioneers of Puerto Rico's television industry. Among the successful businesses established by the German immigrants in Puerto Rico were Mullenhoff & Korber, Frite, Lundt & Co., Max Meyer & Co. and Feddersen Willenk & Co. Korber Group Inc. one of Puerto Rico's largest advertising agencies was founded by the descendants of William Korber.


The Chinese

When the United States enacted the Chinese Exclusion Act on May 6, 1882, many Chinese in the United States fled to Puerto Rico, Cuba and other Latin American nations. They established small niches and worked in restaurants and laundries. The Chinese Exclusion Act was a United States federal law that suspended Chinese immigration. After the Spanish–American War, Spain ceded Puerto Rico to the United States under the conditions established by the Treaty of Paris of 1898. Chinese workers in the United States were allowed to travel to Puerto Rico. Some worked in the island's sugar industry, but most worked in re-building Puerto Rico's infrastructure and rail systems. Many of the workers in Puerto Rico decided to settle permanently in the island. Various businesses are named "Los Chinos" (The Chinese) and a Valley in the town of
Maunabo, Puerto Rico Maunabo () is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the Maunabo Valley on the southeastern coast, northeast of Patillas and south of Yabucoa. Maunabo is spread over eight barrios and Maunabo Pueblo (the downtown area and the admini ...
is called "Quebrada Los Chinos" (The Chinese Stream). The Padmasambhava Buddhist Center, whose followers practice
Tibetan Buddhism Tibetan Buddhism (also referred to as Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, Lamaism, Lamaistic Buddhism, Himalayan Buddhism, and Northern Buddhism) is the form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet and Bhutan, where it is the dominant religion. It is also in majo ...
, has a branch in Puerto Rico.


Post Spanish–American War

Puerto Rico was ceded by Spain to the United States at the end of the Spanish–American War in 1898. Almost immediately, the United States began the "
Americanization Americanization or Americanisation (see spelling differences) is the influence of American culture and business on other countries outside the United States of America, including their media, cuisine, business practices, popular culture, te ...
" process of Puerto Rico. The U.S. occupation brought about a total change in Puerto Rico's economy and
polity A polity is an identifiable political entity – a group of people with a collective identity, who are organized by some form of institutionalized social relations, and have a capacity to mobilize resources. A polity can be any other group of ...
. The "Americanization" process of the island had an immediate effect on the political, commercial, military and sports culture of the Puerto Ricans.
Baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...
, which has its origins in 18th century England and later developed in the United States, was introduced to the island by a group of Puerto Ricans and Cubans who learned the sport in the United States. The sport was also played by the American soldiers who organized games as part of their training. Puerto Ricans were also introduced to the sport of Boxing and Basketball by the occupying military forces.Primera Hora newspaper; "Eran otros tiempos"; by: Alex Figueroa Cancel, July 20, 2008 Many non-Hispanic soldiers who were assigned to the military bases in Puerto Rico choose to stay and live in the island. Unlike their counterparts who settled in the United States in close knit ethnic communities, these people intermarried with Puerto Ricans and adopted the language and customs of the island thereby completely integrating themselves into the society of their new homeland.


The Jews

Even though the first Jews who arrived and settled in Puerto Rico were "Crypto-Jews" or "secret Jews", the Jewish community did not flourish in the island until after the Spanish–American War. Jewish-American soldiers were assigned to the military bases in Puerto Rico and many chose to stay and live on the island. Large numbers of Jewish immigrants began to arrive in Puerto Rico in the 1930s as refugees from Nazi occupied Europe. The majority settled in the island's capital, San Juan, where in 1942 they established the first Jewish Community Center of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico is home to the largest and wealthiest Jewish community in the Caribbean with almost 3,000 Jewish inhabitants.The Virtual Jewish History Tour Puerto Rico
''Jewish Virtual Library'', Retrieved November 12, 2008.
Puerto Rican Jews have made many contributions to the Puerto Rican way of life. Their contributions can be found, but are not limited to, the fields of education, commerce and entertainment. Among many successful businesses they established are Supermercados Pueblo (Pueblo Supermarkets), Almacenes Kress (clothing store), Doral Bank, Pitusa and Me Salvé.
''Palm Beach Post'', Retrieved January 9, 2009
Puerto Rico Companies
, ''Right Management'', Retrieved January 10, 2009.
Work hard and improve constantly. (Israel Kopel, president of Almacenes Pitusa) (Top 10 Business Leaders of Puerto Rico: 1991)
''Caribbean Business'', Retrieved January 9, 2009


Cuban Revolution

The Cuban Revolution of 1959, influenced the large immigration of Chinese and Jews to the island. In 1959, thousands of business-minded Chinese fled Cuba, after the success Cuban Revolution led by
Fidel Castro Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (; ; 13 August 1926 – 25 November 2016) was a Cuban revolutionary and politician who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as the prime minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and president from 1976 to 20 ...
. One of the results of the communist revolution was that the state took over private property and nationalized all private-owned businesses. Most of the Cuban Chinese fled overseas and among the places where many of them settled were Puerto Rico, Miami and New York. Also, almost all of Cuba's 15,000 Jews went into exile. The majority of them also fled to Miami and Puerto Rico.Luxner, Larry
"Puerto Rico's Jews planting roots on an island with little Jewish history"
, ''Luxner News'', Retrieved November 12, 2008.


Puerto Rican migration to the United States

Puerto Ricans were Spanish citizens before Puerto Rico was ceded to the United States under the terms of the Treaty of Paris of 1898. After Puerto Rico was ceded, they became citizens of Puerto Rico. Before 1917, when the U.S. Congress passed the Jones-Shafroth Act, popularly called the Jones Act, which granted Puerto Ricans U.S. citizenship. Puerto Ricans who moved to New York were considered immigrants. Later several factors contributed and led to what became known as "The Great Migration" of Puerto Ricans to New York. These were the following: the
Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
,
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
and the advent of air travel. The Great Depression that spread throughout the world also affected Puerto Rico. Since the island's economy depended and still depends on that of the United States, the failure of American banks and industries was strongly felt in the island. Unemployment rose as a consequence and many families fled to the U.S. mainland in search of jobs. The outbreak of World War II opened doors to many jobs for migrants. Since a large portion of the male population of the U.S. was sent to war, there was a sudden need for people to fill the jobs they left behind. Puerto Rican men and women found jobs in factories and ship docks, producing both domestic and warfare goods."LAS WACS"-Participacion de la Mujer Boricua en la Seginda Guerra Mundial; by: Carmen Garcia Rosado; page 60; 1ra. Edicion publicada en Octubre de 2006; 2da Edicion revisada 2007; Regitro tro Propiedad Intectual ELA (Government of Puerto Rico) #06-13P-)1A-399; Library of Congress TXY 1-312-685. The advent of air travel provided Puerto Ricans with an affordable and faster way of travel to New York. Eventually some Puerto Ricans adopted the mainland United States as their home and married with non-Hispanics. Their children were of Puerto Rican descent who were inscribed with non-Hispanic surnames.


Puerto Ricans with non-Hispanic surnames

The cultural impact that immigrants with ancestry from non-Hispanic countries have made in Puerto Rico is also apparent in the non-Hispanic surnames (whether paternal or maternal) of many Puerto Ricans and people of Puerto Rican descent. The following is a list solely of Puerto Ricans or people of Puerto Rican descent with non-Hispanic surnames and is not intended to reflect the ethnicity of the person listed. This list also includes people of Puerto Rican descent born in the United States and men and women who adopted Puerto Rico as their homeland.References of those listed with articles can be found within wikilinks to the subjects article. Notable Puerto Ricans or people of Puerto Rican descent listed without an article have a reference next to their name.
Chinese origin * Chen, Nero - boxer. * Chu, Julie - ice hockey player; plays forward on the U.S. women's ice hockey team. * Cheng, Guanglou - inventor. * Moy, Chris - singer. Corsican-Italian origin * Antonini, Ernesto Ramos – politician. * Fuster Berlingeri, Jaime B. – politician. * Boschetti, Americo – singer, composer. * Bracetti, Mariana – revolutionary. * Brandi, Kristina – tennis player. * Braschi, Giannina - poet and novelist. * Calvani, Mayra – author. * Capetillo, Luisa – labor leader. * Carattini, Vicente – singer and composer. * Croatto, Tony - singer. * Dipiní, Carmen Delia – singer. * Dominicci, Carmen – journalist. * Ribas Dominicci, Fernando L. – military. * Farinacci, Jorge – politician. * Georgetti, Eduardo - sugar baron, politician. * Gilormini, Mihiel "Mike" – military. * Mignucci, Andrés – architect. * Mignucci, Antonio – marine biologist. * Negroni, Héctor Andrés – military historian. * Negroni, Joe – singer. * Olivieri Sánchez, Manuel - Civil rights activist. * Palmieri, Charlie – bandleader. * Palmieri, Eddie – bandleader. * Paoli, Antonio – opera singer. * García Passalacqua, Juan Manuel – political analyst/commentator. * Pierluisi, Pedro R. - politician. * Pietri, Pedro – poet. * Rojas Tollinchi, Francisco, poet, civic leader and journalist. * Santini, Jorge – Mayor of San Juan. * Santini, Chay – model. * Semidei Rodríguez, José - military. * Teissonniere, Gerardo – pianist. * Vivoni, Carlos - politician *Vivoni, Miguel - politician. * Vivoni, Pedro Santos - politician, Mayor. * Vivoni, Pierre - Judge. * Vivoni Ramírez de Arellano, José Antonio - politician, mayor. Czech origin * Kubecka,Chris - (full name Christina Kubecka de Medina), a Computer Scientist specialist in cyberwarfare. French origin * Alers, Rafael - musician, founder/conductor of a symphonic orchestra, and composer. * Bailon, Adrienne - actress. * Gautier, Alejandrina Benítez de - poet. * Beauchamp, Elías -
Puerto Rican nationalist Throughout the history of Puerto Rico, its inhabitants have initiated several movements to obtain independence for the island, first from the Spanish Empire from 1493 to 1898 and since then from the United States. A spectrum of pro-autonomy, p ...
. * Beauchamp, Dr. Pedro - Surgeon. * Beltrán, Carlos - sportsperson. * Bernier, David "Quique" - politician, sportsperson. * Blondet, Giselle - actress. * Busquets, Anthony M. - scientist. * Caro, Nydia - singer. * Chardón, Dr. Carlos E. - educator and scientist. * Ribera Chevremont, Evaristo - poet. * Curet Alonso, Catalino "Tite" - Ballad and salsa composer. * del Villard, Sylvia - entertainer. * Denis, Nelson Antonio - politician and writer. * Farrait, Rene - singer. * Gautier Benítez, José - poet. * Geigel de Duprey, Ana Roque - activist, educator. * Giraud, Joyce - actress. * Godreau, Miguel - actor, choreographer. * Guenard, Nidia -
professional wrestler Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...
. * Guinot, Luis, Jr. - Ambassador. * Guiot, Antulio Segarra - military. * Ithier, Rafael - musician. * Jovet, Carmen - journalist. * Laporte, Juan - boxer. * LaFountain, Michele - journalist. * Laguerre, Enrique - writer. * Lamond, George- singer. * LaRue, Eva - actress. * Le Guillou, Teófilo José Jaime María - military. *Loubriel, Juan Ramón - sportsperson. * Malaret, Marisol - Miss Universe (1970). * Marqués, Rene - writer and playwright. * Plumey, Teófilo Marxuach - military. * Monclova, René - actor and comedian. * Monge, Yolandita - singer. * Monroig, Gilberto - bolero singer. * Monroig, Glenn - composer, singer. *Mouliert, Joaquin - musician. * Pellot, Victor - sportsperson. * Perry, Rafael Pérez - businessman. * Rayffer, Dr. Luis - physician * Rincón de Gautier, Felisa - politician. * Sallaberry, Fernando and Nefty - singers. * Picon, Joe Sánchez - police officer and author. *Souffront, Evelyn - singer. * Tangüis, Fermín - businessman and scientist. * Tavárez, Manuel Gregorio - composer. * Vientós Gastón, Nilita - educator. * Vigoreaux, Luis - TV producer and host. * Vigoreaux, Luisito - TV producer and host. * Vigoreaux, Roberto - former senator. German origin * Brau, Dr. Salvador - sociologist, historian, novelist, and playwright. * Colberg Ramírez, Severo - politician. * Colberg Toro, Jorge - politician. * Colberg Toro, Severo - politician. * Degetau, Federico - politician. * Edick, Dr. Sixto González - scientist. * Goderich, Ivonne - actress. * Herger, Alfred D. - television show host. * Hertell, Hans - former U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic. * Kiess, Erwin - politician. * Klumb, Heinrich - architect. * Kolthoff-Benners, Erick - judge. * Kolthoff-Caraballo, Erick - Puero Rico Supreme Court Justice. (German origin - continued) * Korber, William - businessman. * Kupferschein, Franz von; he was baptized as Francesco Giuseppe Fortunato von Kupferschein (1751–1814) - father of the Puerto Rican pirate Roberto Cofresí y Ramírez de Arellano. * Luhring, Andrés G. - architect. * Magath, Wolfgang-Felix - soccer player and coach. * Mayer, George E. - military. * Meyners, Jose Arnaldo - Journalist. * Miller Jr., Edward G. - lawyer. * Miller-Rodriguez, Irene - military * Miller, Orvil - actor and musician. * Miller, Virgil R. - military. * Mohr, Nicholasa - writer. * Neumann, Henry - politician. * Oppenheimer, Isabel Luberza - also known as "Isabel la Negra". * Prinze, Freddie – actor. * Prinze Jr., Freddie – actor. * Raschke, Jorge - evangelist. * Raschke, Kimberly "Kimmie" - politician. * Vélez Rieckehoff, Carlos - Puerto Rican nationalist. * Rieckehoff Sampayo, Germán - sportsperson. * Riefkohl, Frederick Lois - military. * Riefkohl, Rudolph W.- military. * Riefkohl, William- politician. * Ross, Julita - singer. * Rivera Schatz, Thomas - politician. *Dr. Schmidt Acosta, Ursula - educator and genealogist. * Schmidt, Edna - journalist. * Schmidt, Waldemar - boxing referee. * Schomburg, Arturo Alfonso - historian. * Seilhamer Rodríguez, Larry - politician. * Stahl, Agustín - scientist. * Stege, Sonia M. - Miss Puerto Rico 1974. * Stubbe, Eric - German Honorary Consul in San Juan. * Thon, Dickie baseball player * Esteves Völckers, Luis R. - military. * Von Eckhardt, Ursula - columnist. * Watring, Mark - sportsperson. * Wiechers, Alfredo - architect. * Nayoral Wirshing, Lila - First Lady of Puerto Rico from 1973-1977 and 1985-1993. * Wirshing, Hermán - sugarcane baron. * Wirshing, Hermán José - U.S. Marshal in Puerto Rico. Irish-English-Scottish origin * Carthy-Deu, Deborah - Miss Universe 1985. * Class, Jose Miguel - singer. * Cofer, Judith Ortiz - author. * Cole, Benjamín - politician * Conboy, Miguel - Founder of the Puerto Rican tobacco trade.Cruz Monclova, Lidio, Historia de Puerto Rico en el Siglo XIX, 3 vols., Ed. U.P.R., Río Piedras, 1958; 1972; 1974) * Dorough, Howie - singer. * Evans, Faith - U.S. Marshal. * Justice, Victoria - actress. * Kelley, Kevin - boxer. * Kennedy, Juan - slave trader. * Lowell, Mike - MLB player. * Lowry, Desiree - Miss Puerto Rico (1995). * McClintock, Kenneth - politician. * McCreery, Scotty - country singer. * Migenes-Johnson, Julia - Soprano. * O'Daly, Demetrio - military and politician. * O'Ferrall, Rafael - military. * O'Neill, Ana María - educator, author and advocate of
women's rights Women's rights are the rights and entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st centuries. In some countri ...
. * O'Neill García, Héctor - politician and Mayor. * O'Neill, María de Mater - artist, lithographer, and professor. * Perkins Flores, Ada - Miss Puerto Rico (1978). * Power y Giralt, Ramón - military and politician. * Richardson, Carmen Belén - actress. * Riley, Sharon - actress/singer. * Robinson, Elizabeth - Miss Puerto Rico (1986). * Rockwell, James - military. * Scannell, Herb - businessman. * Simpson, Laurie Tamara - Miss Puerto Rico (1987). * Clemente Walker, Roberto - baseball player. * Warrington, Otilio "Bizcocho" - comedian and actor. * Williams, Bernie - former MLB player. Jewish origin * Hudes, Quiara Alegría - author, playwright. * Anderson, Axel – actor/director * Artime, Jorge - businessman founder of Almacenes Kress. * Ben-Jochannan, Yosef Alfredo Antonio - Writer and historian. * Blaine, David - magician. * Brugman, Mathias – revolutionary. * Goldman, Max – Civil Rights Commission. * Helfeld, David – educator. * Kaplan, Julio – chess player. * Kopel, Israel - businessman, founder of Almacenes Pitusa department stores. * Leavitt, Raphy – bandleader and composer. * Lehman, Manny - DJ and producer. * Levins Morales, Aurora - author, poet * Levy, Hila – military. * Levy, Teresa - educator and author. * Meyers, Ari – actress. * Ostow, Micol - author. * Seijo, Jorge – radio and television personality. * Starr, Brenda K. – "salsa" singer. * Snyder, Aaron Cecil – Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico. * Tassler, Nina - President of
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
Entertainment. * Ticotin, Rachel – actress. * Ticotin, Sahaj - vocalist/guitarist. * Toppel, George and Harold - businessmen, founders of Supermercados Pueblo (Pueblo Supermarkets). Lebanese origin * Fas, Antonio - politician. * Báez Galib, Eudaldo - politician.


See also

*
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...
* List of Puerto Ricans *
History of women in Puerto Rico The recorded history of Puerto Rican women can trace its roots back to the era of the ''Taíno'', the indigenous people of the Caribbean, who inhabited the island that they called "Boriken" before the arrival of Spaniards. During the Spanish c ...
*
Culture of Puerto Rico The culture of Puerto Rico is the result of a number of international and indigenous influences, both past and present. Modern cultural manifestations showcase the island's rich history and help to create an identity which is uniquely Puerto Rica ...
* Cultural diversity in Puerto Rico **
Chinese immigration to Puerto Rico Large-scale Chinese immigration to Puerto Rico and the Caribbean began during the 19th century. Chinese immigrants had to face different obstacles that prohibited or restricted their entry in Puerto Rico. When Puerto Rico was a Spanish colony, ...
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Corsican immigration to Puerto Rico Corsican immigration to Puerto Rico resulted in the 19th century from widespread economic and political changes in Europe that made life difficult for the peasant and agricultural classes in Corsica and other territories. The Second Industrial ...
**
French immigration to Puerto Rico French immigration to Puerto Rico came about as a result of the economic and political situations which occurred in various places such as Louisiana (United States), Saint-Domingue (Haiti) and in Europe. Other important factors which encouraged ...
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German immigration to Puerto Rico German immigration to Puerto Rico began in the early part of the 19th century and continued to increase when German businessmen immigrated and established themselves with their families on the island. However, it was the economic and political s ...
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Irish immigration to Puerto Rico Irish immigration to Puerto Rico began during the period of Spanish colonization of the island, continuing through 19th century to the present day. During the 16th century, many Irishmen, who were known as " Wild Geese", deserted from the Eng ...
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Jewish immigration to Puerto Rico The Jewish immigration to Puerto Rico began in the 15th century with the arrival of the ''anusim'' (variously called ''conversos'', ''Crypto-Jews'', ''Secret Jews'' or ''marranos'') who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage. A ...
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Royal Decree of Graces of 1815 The Royal Decree of Graces of 1815 ( Spanish: ''Real Cédula de Gracias'') is a legal order approved by the Spanish Crown in the early half of the 19th century to encourage Spaniards and, later, Europeans of non-Spanish origin, to settle in and po ...
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Art in Puerto Rico Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States. Puerto Ricans (Spanish: ''puertorriqueños'' or ''boricuas'') are the people of Puerto Rico, the inhabitants, and citizens of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and their descendants. Puerto Rico is ...
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Cinema of Puerto Rico The history of the Cinema industry in Puerto Rico predates Hollywood, being conceived after the first industries emerged in some locations of the United States, Switzerland, Denmark, Italy, France, Great Britain and Germany. During the US invasi ...
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Cuisine of Puerto Rico Puerto Rican cuisine has its roots in the cooking traditions and practices of Europe (mostly Spain), Africa and the native Taínos. History Puerto Rican cuisine has been influenced by an array of cultures including Taino Arawak, Spanish, an ...
*Puerto Rican literature *Music of Puerto Rico *Sports in Puerto Rico *Crypto-Judaism


Note


References

{{Puerto Rican migrations