Al Brincar el Charco

Chapter 1 begins with a conversation about the historical consequences of U.S. colonial rule on the island as Puerto Ricans began to migrate to U.S. cities. Examining the role of community-based and citywide organizations in both New York and Chicago allows for a clearer understanding of the challenges faced by the population and the responses initiated to aid in their settlement in these cities—responses that often fell short. Groups such as the Mayor’s Committee on New Residents, the Welfare Council of Metropolitan Chicago, the Chicago Commission on Human Relations, and the Chicago Board of Education are central to this story, as they demonstrate the common tendency to focus on schools and language policies without a clear understanding of the population itself. It is important to highlight a variety of readings of the migratory and settlement history of Puerto Ricans to the United States and Chicago, as these histories vary across different spaces. Chapter 1 fosters an understanding of Puerto Ricans’ initial labor migration, the overlap between labor and education migration for Puerto Rican women in Chicago, and city agencies’ responses to the movement.