New York Experiences: The Nuyorican Experience
New York City, the destination for hope and freedom for many cultures, first opened her shores to Puerto Ricans who were seeking independence from Spain during World War I (Matos-Rodriguez & Hernandez, 2001; Kaplan 2008). The mode of travel was a 4-5 day trip by steamboat that brought the new settlers to the Brooklyn Navy Yard as they endeavored to find work there during wartime (Fitzpatrick, 1971; Matos-Rodriguez & Hernandez, 2001). During this time, African Americans began to settle in Harlem and shared the same town with the new migrants, who were then granted citizenship through The Jones Act of 1917 and continued to occupy both the Brooklyn Navy Yard and Harlem throughout the 1920’s (Fitzpatrick, 1971; Kaplan, 2008). By the depression era migration almost came to a halt, however surged immediately after World War II in 1945 (Fitzpatrick, 1971). Into the 1950’s, the Puerto Rican population rose and flowed into East Harlem, the South Bronx, and Williamsburg (1971).
Puerto Ricans are regarded as “the first great airborne migrants of people from abroad,” and paving the paved the way for future cultures with aspirations to come to New York City (Fitzpatrick, 1971). The aviation age provided the ability to take non-stop flights from San Juan, PR, to New York City in 8 hours for the “affordable” price of $120.00. Decommissioned DC-4 airplanes, as well as commercial flights on Pan American Airlines, Trans Caribbean and Trans World Airlines were the vehicles by which the historical migration occurred (Matos-Rodriguez, & Hernandez (2001).
The Puerto Rican population exploded between the decades of the 40’s-70’s by approximately 835,000 people who decided to leave Puerto Rico and make New York City their home (Sanchez Korrol, & Hernandez, 2010). Through their struggles of assimilating to a new culture, Puerto Ricans have created an identity proudly known to their community as the Nuyorican consciousness (2010). Even until the present, these passionate people have contributed to politics, music and art not only in New York City, but all over the world.
Politics and the community
El Barrio, which loosely means, the neighborhood as described in Carol von Pressentin Wright’s, Blue Guide: New York (2008), is within 4 blocks in East Harlem, which is also known as Spanish Harlem (Kaplan, 2008). The struggles and discrimination toward this population has given cause for activism on many issues such as the rights of entrepreneurs, gentrification, bilingual education, work security, political representation and civil rights (Sanchez Korrol, & Hernandez, 2010). Most notably is the founding of the Puerto Rican Merchants Association, one of the oldest Puerto Rican organizations, by writer/activist, Clemente Soto Velez. This organization brought what we collectively call bodegas to New York, as well as clubs, cafes, restaurants and travel agencies for all New Yorkers to enjoy (Fitzpatrick, 1971; Sanchez Korrol, & Hernandez, 2010).
In the pursuit of advancement of the community, and a better life, Nuyoricans elected the first Puerto Rican-born Bronx Borough President in 1965, Herman Badillo, who also became the first Puerto Rican elected to the U.S. Congress in 1968 (Sanchez Korrol, & Hernandez, 2010). Later in 2001, Bronx-born Fernando Ferrer was a candidate for Mayor of New York and was the democratic nominee for mayor again in 2005. One of the most prestigious offices held by a Puerto Rican descendent to date is held by Bronx-born, U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Sonia Sotomayor, who is the third woman to be named justice of the highest court of the United States (2010).
Throughout the years, social events such as concerts, dances, religious revivals, and more recently, community gardens have been integral to the community as a means of preserving the Nuyorican identity and a way to express urban struggles, survival and the joy of life. Listed below are important contributions to the arts by this versatile and creative population.
Theatre and film
Since the 30’s to present, Puerto Rican actors have made their mark in theatre and film. Jose Ferrer (1912-1992) was the first Puerto Rican to crossover and won an Oscar for his portrayal of Cyrano de Bergerac in 1950 (Sanchez Korrol, & Hernandez, 2010; www.britannica.com, 2011). And San Juan, Puerto Rican-born, Raul Julia (1940-1994) was known for his theatrical performance of Man of La Mancha, as well as in films: Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985), and The Addams Family (1991).
Poetry and literature
The Nuyorican Experience has been predominantly recounted by of the creative minds of Puerto Rican poets since the day the migrants landed by steamboat in Brooklyn. Julia de Burgos, who has a cultural center in Spanish Harlem named after her was a noted writer and poet in the 40’s – 50’s (Sanchez Korrol, & Hernandez, 2010). During the same era and through the 80’s, Pura Belpre, a story teller and author, translated folk stories from Spanish to English and used puppets during her story time (2010). She was the first Puerto Rican librarian hired by the East Harlem Library and later assisted in the founding of El Museo del Barrio (2010). In the 80’s the Nuyorican Poets Café which is located on the lower east side, was founded in part by prolific poet, Pedro Pietri (Kaplan, 2008; Sanchez Korrol, & Hernandez, 2010).
The Julia de Burgos Cultural Center is home to many local performers of music, dance, poetry, and art. Larger than life murals cover building walls all around El Barrio of the above prominent Nuyoricans.
Art
From the moment one steps foot onto the street from the subway, art may be seen in many forms from murals to sculptures around the streets (Kaplan, 2008). The largest of all murals is called “The Spirit of East Harlem”, painted by Hank Prussig and Manny Vega in the 70’s, and recently restored by Vega. This mural depicts scenes of barrio life and can be viewed on the corner of E. 104th Street and Lexington Avenue (2008). One artist who has made an important impact on creating and preserving art is, Nitza Tufino, a founding artist of Arts for Transit. James de la Vega has also painted beautiful tributes to famous Puerto Ricans, past and present around El Barrio (2008).
Music and dance
Music is the heart and soul of the Nuyorican Experience. It was a necessary part of life in the early settlers’ days when musicians such as, Rafael Hernandez, held house parties to help pay rent for himself and his neighbors (Matos-Rodriguez, & Hernandez, 2001). In the early 30’s – 40’s, Puerto Ricans enjoyed chamber music, opera and Big Band orchestras by musicians from the Island.
Mambo, Salsa and Latin Jazz, were blended sounds of the Island and Urban life that is a genre world-known (Sanchez Korrol, & Hernandez, 2010). Traditional dance has evolved to the physically intricate dance moves of today through this form of music (2010). From the 50’s – 70’s, the Teatro Puerto Rico and Palacio Alegria were dance halls frequented by the locals (Sanchez Korrol, & Hernandez, 2010). The home of renowned percussionist, Tito Puente, the Father of Salsa and Mambo King, was The Palladium (2010). Today, we continue to witness the music handed down from the legends as represented by the likes of Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony.
Conclusion
As it has been shown, the aviation age became the era of the great migration of Puerto Ricans to New York City. The settlers struggled throughout history to create their own identity, what is now the Nuyorican. Politics, the need for community, and the innate gift of the arts provided the foundation to build that identity and express their needs to make changes for the life they came to acquire. This is the essence of the Nuyorican Experience. The American Dream led these resourceful, eclectic, passionate and creative people to New York City, the great melting pot of the world. They have left their mark for many succeeding generations and are a model for other cultures to integrate their traditions with New York culture.
Information depicting this Nuyorican experience is sparse, which was a surprise because there is so much that may be learned about how this population assimilated to their new home. There aren’t any evidence-based studies, at least in New York that describes Nuyorican Experience, even though there are plenty of creative literary examples of how writers perceive The Great Migration. Perhaps it is because the story is told in such books, on mural walls, in lyrics of songs, during poetry jam sessions, or in El Museo del Barrio. In other words, to explore and learn about the Nuyorican Experience, one may have to take the number 6 subway to 103rd street, stop, look, and listen, and then proceed through town as the first airborne migrants did.
References
Fitzpatick, J. P. (1971). Puerto Rican Americans: The meaning of migration to the mainland.
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
José Ferrer. (2011). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from
Kaplan, T. (2008, Dec.) Born again in East Harlem. American Historical Association 123rd Annual Meeting.
Matos-Rodriguez, F. V. & Hernandez, P. J. (2001). Images of america pioneros: Puerto ricans in new York
city 1896-1948 (Bilingual ed.). USA: Arcadia Publishing
Raul Julia. (2011). In Britannica Book of the Year, 1995. Retrieved from
Sanchez Korrol, V. & Hernandez, P. J. (2010) Pioneros II: Puerto ricans in new york city 1948-1998
(Bilingual ed.). USA: Arcadia Publishing
Von Pressentin Wright, C. (2008). Blue guide new york. NY, NY: Blue Guides Limited
