Civil Rights & Puerto Rico

The Background of Civil Rights

Civil rights is defined as “guarantees of equal social opportunities and equal protection under the law, regardless of race, religion, or other personal characteristics” (Hamlin, 2023). When hearing this term, it is often associated with fighting for Black rights in the United States which consisted of battling discrimination in the country specifically when it came to segregation. However, the civil rights movement inspired other communities to fight for their equality, as well. One of these groups were the Young Lords who represented the Puerto Rican community. The relationship between Puerto Rico and the US is complex, so it is also important to inform students of this as well.

The History of Puerto Rico

Because Puerto Rico is not part of the 50 states in the US, it can often be overlooked in education, and students do not fully understand the concept of a commonwealth. To understand the problems that Puerto Ricans faced in the 1960s, it is essential to understand the United States relationship to Puerto Rico. Christopher Columbus, who is a popular and notorious figure within colonization, claimed Puerto Rico and the Taíno population for Spain in 1493. After the four month Spanish American War, Spain surrendered Puerto Rico in 1898 to the victorious Americans (History, 2018). In 1953, Puerto Rico was granted commonwealth status by the United States (Library of Congress, n.d.). Although Puerto Ricans have most of the benefits of US citizens, they do not have the right to vote. There has been some dispute over whether the commonwealth should become its own independent nation. One notable figure, Pedro Albizu Campos, was a leading force within the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party and fought for their independence. Albizu Campos led countless protests in order to pursue his goal for independence in Puerto Rico. After he was suspected of attacking the U.S. House of Representatives with other Nationalists, Albizu Campos was sentenced to eighty years in prison (Darder, 2023). “His death in 1965 inspired Puerto Ricans living both on the island and in the U.S. to join the independence movement” which prompted José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez to establish the Young Lords (Library of Congress, n.d.).