Puerto Rican Activism: Civil Rights in the Decade of Protest

In this episode of Mr. Hutchings History, we explore the rise of Puerto Rican activism in the United States during the post-1945 era. As Puerto Ricans faced systemic racism, economic inequality, and cultural challenges, they organized to demand justice and equality. This episode examines key movements and organizations such as Aspira, the Young Lords, and the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, which fought for bilingual education, political representation, and civil rights.



We also delve into the 1960s and 1970s “Decade of Protest,” when urban riots in Puerto Rican neighborhoods like Perth Amboy and Paterson sparked widespread activism. These protests, fueled by frustrations with police brutality and economic exclusion, were a catalyst for political engagement, shifting Puerto Rican issues into the national spotlight.



Puerto Rican activists made significant educational and political strides, including the election of Herman Badillo to Congress. Despite facing internal divisions and economic challenges, Puerto Rican activism left an enduring legacy that shaped both local and national movements for equality.



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Works Cited



González, Juan. Harvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America. Penguin, 2011.



Grosfoguel, Ramón. Colonial Subjects: Puerto Ricans in a Global Perspective. University of California Press, 2003.



Jiménez Román, Miriam, and Juan Flores. The Afro-Latin@ Reader: History and Culture in the United States. Duke UP, 2010.



Ruiz, Vicki L. From Out of the Shadows: Mexican Women in Twentieth-Century America. Oxford UP, 1998.



Young Lords Party. The Young Lords: A Reader. NYU Press, 2010.