I’ve always wondered at the large Puerto Rican population in NYC. Puerto Rico is a little SE of Cuba, and a lot of Cubans emigrate to Florida. Why wouldn’t Puerto Ricans do the same and move to the nearest American state?
Girls: Lots of new housing with more space
Boys: Lots of doors slamming in our face
Girls: I’ll get a terrace apartment
Boys: Better get rid of your accent
Girls: Here you are free and you have pride
Boys: Long as you stay on your own side
Girls: Free to be anything you choose
Boys: Free to wait tables and shine shoes
Boys: I think I go back to San Juan
Girls: I know a boat you can get on. Bye-bye
Boys: Everyone there will give big cheer
Girls: Everyone there will have moved here
(Thanks to Stephen Sondheim for the sociological analysis)
IIRC, the biggest wave of Puerto Rican emmigration occurred during the 1940-1960, when most of the jobs (advertised in the island) were in factories around New York.
Currently, Orlando’s Hispanic community is in the majority from Puerto Rico, not Cuba.
Let’s not forget Florida didn’t get big until the 70s. I lived in Florida and until the air conditioning became big time anything south of Jacksonville didn’t take off. Then came Disney and air in the early 70s and boom. Same phenomenon happened in Phoenix and to a lesser extent Dallas, San Antonia and Houston.
The Cubans came to Flordia in numbers after air conditioning was big time. Also may Cubans I knew do not plan to stay here should Castro collapse. They consider this temporary.