Cubans

in the U S
Census 2010 1.7M
700,000 born in the Cuba
65% settled and live in Southern Florida
Background and iden5ty
Racial background
Spanish
Africans
Other Europeans (Irish, Germans, Jews Italians, etc)
As many La5n American countries during at the turn of the 20th century Cubans craIed their
own iden5ty and na5onality was priori5zed over their racial iden5ty.
In the U S term Cuban-American began to be used aIer 1980s as a standard of self-
designa5on (Portes)

Facts-History
Sources: Knight 2012; Library of Congress
The island was a Spanish colony from 1492 to 1898. Cubans fought two wars against Spain
(1868-1878) (1895-1898)
Cuban had a strong sugar economy and relied on enslaved labor. As a consequence Cuban
planter developed a very strong economy.
Slavery was abolished in the late 1880s
In 1898 the U.S. took over the island under Treaty of Paris. The U.S. Congress maintained the
island under a Tutelage
In 1901 under the Pla_ amendment Cuba gained its independence the U.S. established
Guantanamo Naval base
By 1898 the U.S. had more than $60M worth of investments in Cuba (land, sugar mills, ca_le
ranches, United Fruit Company, etcetera).

Facts- Cuban Immigra5on

Poli5cal developments in Cuba and U.S. foreign policies are key in the exodus of Cubans to
the U.S.
In the mid 19th century a group of poli5cal exiles and merchants established in Ybor City,
Tampa Florida
During the War 1895-8 poli5cal exiles aliated to the Cuban Revolu5onary Party established
in N YC (this group along w/ Puerto Ricans created ags)
1930-1940s Gangsters deportee relocated/shelter in Cuba and invested on the islands
economy with the support of Presidents Antonio Machado and Fulgencio Ba5sta
1959 (Cuban Revolu5on), Castro took power and thousands of Cubans leI the island
Cuban Migra5on-prole
1959-62 1st wave
Whites/upper Class
Professionals with American educa5on
Suppor5ve of Ba5sta
Se_led in Miami-Dade County
Approximately 200,000 Cubans arrived to the U.S. during this period
Cuban Immigra5on cont.
1960-62 Opera5on Peter Pan
More than 10,000 children were brought to the U S under the auspices of the Catholic church
and charitable organiza5ons
1965-1973 AirliI/Freedom Flights
Cuban government allowed people living in the U S to pick up rela5ves
265,000 Cubans came to the U S during this 5me
Cuban Immigra5on cont.
1980 The Mariel BoatliI
Middle class/poor Cubans/colored
Considered non-grata by the Castro Regime
They were s5gma5zed
125,000 arrived to the U S. 1,000 were deported because of criminal records
Were put in camps throughout Florida and some ended living in the east coast
1994 The RaIer Crisis
20,000 Cubans were admi_ed to U S yearly
Case Orlando El Duque Hernandez 1998
U.S. Policies toward Cubans
The 1966 Cuban Adjustment Act
Considered poli5cal exiles
Received economic incen5ves/loans/bilingual educa5on (Gonzalez 103)
1990s President Clinton Dry Foot Policy
The Obama Administra5on
Allows Cuban-Americans to visit their rela5ves to the island

Community Ins5tu5ons
Economic enclave (Portes 1994)
Banking ins5tu5ons (managerial)
Academic
Bodegas/Restaurants
Poli5cal ins5tu5ons intended to overthrow the Castro regime
Poli5cal Oce (Senate)
Posi5ons in the Federal government