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I have always been fascinated by how many Puerto Ricans in New Jersey have held on to their heritage at the same time assimilating to their home culture. As other ethnic groups in the past and continue to be doing. But it makes me wonder if Puerto Ricans are finally accepted into the mainstream culture considering the fact that they were here since the 1950s as the oldest Hispanic group. Any input?
According to the quick facts in census.gov the definition of White is "a person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa. It includes people who indicate their race as "White" or report entries such as Irish, German, Italian, Lebanese, Near Easterner, Arab, or Polish." Puerto Rico is a Caribbean island predominantly populated by European immigrants. Puerto Ricans of European, mostly Spanish descent, are said to comprise the majority. In the year 1899, one year after the U.S invaded and took control of the island, 61.8% of people self-identified as White. One hundred years later, the total has risen to 80.5% (3,064,862), one percent more than reported in 1950 (Wikipedia).
hmmm my wife is puerto rican and she considers herself white. i remember when we were in school an african american girl tried to make it clear to her that she isnt white, she is a minority like them.
a lot of what happens depends on the groups you associate yourself with.
This isn't suprising. Some Puerto Ricans either don't know or are in denial about their African ancestry via the trans-atlantic slave trade. The overwhelming majority of Puerto Ricans descend from a mixture of Spaniard, Taino, and African slaves. My wife is also a fair skinned Puerto Rican (who has been mistaken many times for beign white) but she identifies as being a Puerto Rican who happens to be fair skinned, she doesn't identify with being white. I think it's more ethnicity versus skin color.
According to the quick facts in census.gov the definition of White is "a person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa. It includes people who indicate their race as "White" or report entries such as Irish, German, Italian, Lebanese, Near Easterner, Arab, or Polish." Puerto Rico is a Caribbean island predominantly populated by European immigrants. Puerto Ricans of European, mostly Spanish descent, are said to comprise the majority. In the year 1899, one year after the U.S invaded and took control of the island, 61.8% of people self-identified as White. One hundred years later, the total has risen to 80.5% (3,064,862), one percent more than reported in 1950 (Wikipedia).
As anon-hate said, most Puerto Ricans are not European; most are a mix of European with Taino Native and African. Self-identification is very deceptive. Why, in a white supremacist culture such as Puerto Rico, would mixed people identify as anything but white?
This isn't suprising. Some Puerto Ricans either don't know or are in denial about their African ancestry via the trans-atlantic slave trade. The overwhelming majority of Puerto Ricans descend from a mixture of Spaniard, Taino, and African slaves. My wife is also a fair skinned Puerto Rican (who has been mistaken many times for beign white) but she identifies as being a Puerto Rican who happens to be fair skinned, she doesn't identify with being white. I think it's more ethnicity versus skin color.
but what if there is no african (or so little you cant tell its there) in their background? im "jewish" of eastern european background. my wife has lighter skin than i do and straighter hair than i do. my mother in law has blond hair and very white skin.
Hispanic/Latino is not a Racial Category. It is a linguistic one. As other posters has pointed this out. I have a friend born and raised in Puerto Rico, one Great-grandmother was from Ireland and her grandfather was from Germany. As you can imagine she is very light skinned. What I like about Puerto Ricans( and Latin Americans in general) they identify as Puerto Rican, Uruguayan, Brazilian etc first and do not worry as much about heratige as here in the USA. People dont call themselves Polish-Uruguayan or Afro-Cuban etc.
Hispanics can be of any race.
Some examples.
The previous president of Peru Alberto Fujimori's parents were from Japan.
I have a friend from Uruguay whose grandparents all came from Poland
Brazilian supermodel Giselle Bundchen(sp?) is of German decent.
Pele was decended from African slaves in Brazil
There are countless others.
I found it funny when the movie "Alive" came out in 1993 people were upset that the actors were "too white" These people were obviously ignorant about the people of Uruguay (and Argentina for that matter) mostly European. Very much like the the typical white people in New Jersey. They dont look like people from Guatamala
I have no issue, say what you are and stick with it. I have spanish friends that say they are white I laugh at them I say both your parents are spanish and so are you. Your born in America your Spanish/American, am I wrong? Just say what you are thats all.
LOL. I remeber "Alive" also and heard the same thing. It is well known that there is no hispanic or latino race. Might it be that some people don't know this in 2011? The OP?
I have no issue, say what you are and stick with it. I have spanish friends that say they are white I laugh at them I say both your parents are spanish and so are you. Your born in America your Spanish/American, am I wrong? Just say what you are thats all.
What makes someone Polish?
What makes someone Italian? country maybe? People born in AMERICA are AMERICANS correct? My great grandparents are from Italy I don't go around telling people that I am Italian. Born in America what do you think I am? and another thing there is NO seperate box to check for on an application that says Italian. If there was and someone born and raised in USA checked it they would be wrong.
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