Puerto Rican

Asked about whether she felt Puerto Rican or not by a popular men's magazine, New York native model and rap singer Gloria Velez declared that "(she) was born in Long Island, (her parents) were born in New York, but (her) grandparents were born in Puerto Rico, so (she is) 100 percent Puerto Rican". Also, there are many of those who are half Puerto Rican that have publicly stated their pride in bring Puerto Ricans, such is the case of Freddie Prinze, Tony Orlando, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Geraldo Rivera. This is a feeling shared by most (if not all) Puerto Ricans born outside Puerto Rico. Wilfred Benitez is another famous person who was not born in Puerto Rico but feels proud of being Puerto Rican. Althought many others are proud to be US citizens and proud to be Americans.

Related Topics:
New York - Gloria Velez - Freddie Prinze - Tony Orlando - Sammy Davis, Jr. - Geraldo Rivera - Wilfred Benitez

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Puerto Ricans also refer to themselves as Boricuas. This term comes from the word "Boriken" (Borínquen) which was what the Taínos called Puerto Rico before the Spaniards arrived.

Related Topics:
Boricua - Taíno - Spaniards

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Puerto Ricans are a mixer of customs and cultures which have truly resulted in a great melting pot. The people who inhabited the island of Puerto Rico at the time of the European landfall were the members of the Taíno tribe. In the 16th century the white Spaniards arrived with their African black slaves. Some of the Spanish and some slaves inter-married with the Taíno. In 1791, the slaves in Haiti, revolted against their white French masters. Many of the French escaped to Puerto Rico via the Dominican Republic and settled in the west coast of the island, especially in Mayaguez. Racial mixing, even before abolition, was more common in Puerto Rico than in Cuba or English colonies. This trend continued after 1873 when the abolition of slavery in Puerto Rico occurred (note that the date for the abolition of slavery is the date when all slaves were granted freedom, but, before that day and starting on 1837, the freedom of blacks could always be bought at the time of baptism). At the end of the 19th century Spain permitted the migration of Italians (principally from Corsica) and of the Irish to the island. In addition, Chinese started arriving at the island, as rail-road workers, during the 1840s to 1850s. These groups settled mainly in the southern cities of Puerto Rico. The main idea behind Spain's new immigration policy was to keep the local population from asking for its independence by permitting people whom they believed would be loyal to the Spanish Crown to live in the island. This trend continued after 1898, when Puerto Rico was annexed by the United States after the Spanish-American War, with the migration of Germans and Lebanese. More recent arrivals include inhabitants from nearby islands, including Dominicans and a substantial population of Cuban immigrants after 1959. There is a large percentage of US residents from the mailand who live mainly in the .

Related Topics:
Melting pot - 16th century - African - Haiti - French - Dominican Republic - Abolition - Slavery - 1837 - 19th century - Italians - Corsica - Irish - Chinese - 1840s - 1850s - Independence - United States - Spanish-American War - Germans - Lebanese - Cuban

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