deep dives with edgard: puerto rico in the 20th century
puerto rican identity under american rule
hey y'all,
remember when i promised you a deep dive into puerto rico's history? yeah, about that... turns out, life had other plans. the days turned into weeks turned into months, and here we are. i dropped the ball harder than a baby juggler, and for that, i'm sorry. but guess what? i'm back and i'm ready to make it up to you.
if you need a refresher (and let's face it, after this long, we all do), check out our first episode on the colonization of puerto rico. i also do a quick refresher later in this with some fancy little timeline graphics i put together for you. yes, yes… you’re very welcome.
the first episode sets you up well for today's saga. and gird your loins, because we've got four more episodes coming your way after this one. think of it as your crash course in puerto rican history, served with a side of sass and a whole lot of heart from your local chaos gremlin: me!
once we wrap up puerto rico, we'll be diving into other topics that'll make your brain cells do a happy dance. but for now, let's pick up where we left off and dive headfirst into the tumultuous 20th century of la isla del encanto.
grab your cafecito and let's do this!
a quick refresher
last time, we had a whirlwind tour through puerto rico's early history, from the arrival of the arawak peoples around 200 BCE to the eve of american colonization in 1898. we witnessed the rise and fall of the taíno civilization, watched christopher columbus stumble onto our shores (uninvited, might i add), and saw juan ponce de león set up shop in caparra. the timeline reads like a who's who of colonizers trying their luck: the spanish settled in for the long haul, the dutch took a swing and missed in 1625, and even the british thought they'd give it a go in 1797 (spoiler: it didn't work out for them either). along the way, we touched on some not-so-fun topics like the enslavement of african people and the brutal suppression of indigenous rebellions.
but in the middle of all of that horrible colonization, we learned that there is a spirit that burns - a spirit of defiance and resistance that started with the rebellion of 1511. according to legend, taino chief urayoán ordered his warriors to drown a spanish conquistador called diego salcedo in the río grande de añasco. the attack culminated in a large-scale rebellion, led by the taino chiefs agüeybaná ii and urayoán. even though that rebellion was put down, the taino people continued to resist from the interior of the island. these were the first sparks of puerto rican resistance, which led to the short-lived but significant el grito de lares revolt in 1868. over the centuries, the spirit of defiance and resistance continued as some puerto ricans like dr. ramón emeterio betances began to aspire to independence.
episode 2: the 20th century and the struggle for identity
today, we're gonna explore how that whole situation played out and where we are now. spoiler alert: it's complicated, frustrating, and at times, downright infuriating. but it's also a story of resilience, identity, and the ongoing fight for self-determination.
so, it's 1898, and puerto rico's gone from being a spanish colony to... well, an american one. talk about out of the frying pan and into the fire, huh? the u.s. military took control after spain was defeated by the united states in the spanish-american war. puerto ricans found themselves in a whole new world of political limbo.
the foraker act of 1900 passed by congress established a civilian government for puerto rico, but don't get too excited. it was headed by a u.s.-appointed governor and executive council. puerto ricans could elect their own local house of representatives, but the real power was completely concentrated in washington.
now, here's where things get even worse: last time we talked about the racist insular cases. these supreme court decisions basically said, "hey, puerto rico belongs to the u.s., but isn't part of the u.s." mind-bending, right? it created this weird category of "unincorporated territory" that still haunts puerto rico today.
the jones act: citizenship with an asterisk
in 1917, congress passed the jones-shafroth act (also known as the jones act plainly), and suddenly, puerto ricans were u.s. citizens! sounds great, right? well, not so fast. this citizenship came with more strings attached than a marionette. sure, puerto ricans could now move freely to the mainland and join the u.s. military (just in time for world war i, how convenient). but they still couldn't vote for president, and their representation in congress? one non-voting resident commissioner. talk about taxation without representation!
the rise of puerto rican nationalism: ¡viva puerto rico libre!
all this american "benevolent assimilation" didn't sit well with everyone. the 1930s saw the rise of the nationalist party, led by pedro albizu campos. these folks weren't just asking for independence - they were demanding it. the nationalists organized strikes, protests, and even armed rebellions. the u.s. response? repression, arrests, and the infamous ponce massacre of 1937 where 19 puerto ricans were killed by police.
we watched as puerto rican nationalism rose like a phoenix from the ashes of colonial rule. pedro albizu campos and his crew weren't just asking for independence - they were demanding it with a fire that could've lit up the whole caribbean. but with that fire came repression, and the ponce massacre of 1937 remains a painful reminder of the cost of fighting for freedom.
but the nationalists weren't the only game in town. the fight for puerto rico's future was a three-way battle:
the independence movement: "viva puerto rico libre!"
the statehood movement: "51st state, here we come!"
the status quo folks: "let's keep this commonwealth thing going"
puerto rico under american rule: a crash course in colonialism 2.0
in 1952, puerto rico became a "commonwealth" or "estado libre asociado." sounds fancy, right? but in reality, it was kind of like getting a participation trophy in the olympics of self-governance. sure, puerto ricans could now elect their own governor and legislature. they even got to write their own constitution (with u.s. approval, of course). but the big decisions? still made in washington.
this new status was sold as a unique solution to puerto rico's situation. in reality, it was a way to get the u.n. to stop bugging the u.s. about its colony. spoiler alert: it didn't solve the underlying issues. many different puerto rican governments and u.s congresses have provided for puerto rico to vote on its status. puerto ricans have voted six times - 1967, 1993, 1998, 2012, 2017, and 2020.
so, where does this leave us?
alright, mi gente, let's wrap this wild ride up.
we've journeyed through puerto rico's tumultuous 20th century, from the whiplash of changing colonial masters to the rollercoaster of political movements.
we've seen puerto rico transform from a spanish colony to an american "unincorporated territory" (whatever that means), wrestle with its identity, and fight for its right to self-determination.
and then there's the whole commonwealth situation. estado libre asociado sounds fancy, right? but in reality, it's been more like a political purgatory - not quite a state, not quite independent, stuck in a limbo that's lasted for over half a century.
so, what's next for puerto rico? well, that's a story still being written. but speaking of stories, get ready for our next episode, because things are about to get even spicier.
coming up: episode 3: economic exploitation and migration
ever wondered why your titi lives in the bronx? or why half your family ended up in florida? if you’re not puerto rican, you’re likely not to ask this question anyway, haha.
next episode we're diving deep into the economic policies that turned puerto rico into america's playground (and sweatshop), sparking a mass exodus to the mainland.
until then, keep questioning, keep learning, and remember - understanding puerto rico's story isn't just about the past, it's about shaping our future.
pa'lante, siempre pa'lante,
edgard🫶