Biggs, Julian Glascock, Baylis

Description

Maria Sanchez, Father Pickett of St. Michael’s Church, and Tito Santiago sit in Sanchez’ bodega and debate and discuss the main barriers for recently migrated Puerto Ricans in Hartford. The main debate is started by Father Pickett and Maria Sanchez in which Sanchez argues that although the discrimination that is experienced by the black community is similar to that of the Puerto Rican community, Puerto Ricans have a different level of discrimination because of the Spanish language barrier. Father Pickett argues that although Spanish language is a huge barrier to employment and education, a white-dominated society would still see Puerto Ricans as non-white and therefore race is also a crucial barrier for Puerto Ricans. Sanchez says that unlike blacks, Puerto Ricans don’t want to argue, they just want their rights as citizens to be upheld. With Puerto Ricans holding citizenship status, she believes it is important for Puerto Ricans to be treated as though they are citizens and not as foreigners. She describes the relationship the United States has had with Puerto Ricans on the island in that American companies have recruited Puerto Rican bodies to come work and then left them without any real supports. Some Italians have told Puerto Ricans and blacks that their families have been here for fifty years and they are now just getting integrated and that the black and Puerto Rican communities need to have patience. But as Father Pickett points out, these same Italians do not realize that blacks have been in the...

Record Contributed By

Hartford History Center, Hartford Public Library

Record Harvested From

Connecticut Digital Archive