HISPANIC
HERITAGE
In 1898 Puerto Rico became part of the United States as a
result of the Spanish-American War adding almost one
million new Hispanics as American citizens.
Massive Hispanic immigration took place during the 1940's
and 1950's. This was due to labor shortages during World War
II and subsequently the replacement of small farms with large
ones that required lots of seasonal labor.
East Coast clothing manufacturers welcomed Puerto Rican
seamstresses who brought excellent skills at minimum pay.
In 1959 Fidel Castro came to power in Cuba. This led to large
amounts of Cuban immigrants coming to the United States.
Today there are an estimated 58.9 million Hispanic people in
the United States, comprising 18.1% of the population.
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