Santiago explores the complicated relationship between the United States and Puerto Rico in her memoir, When I Was Puerto Rican, tackling themes such as imperialism and migration. Puerto Rico has been a colony of the United States since 1898. In 1917, Puerto Ricans became U.S. citizens, but to this day do not have a vote in Congress. As citizens, Puerto Ricans are able to move between the island and the mainland. While technically moving within the same country, the unique cultural, historical, and linguistic identity of Puerto Rico makes the experience akin to immigrants who move to the U.S. from other countries.
Up until 1945, there was very little migration to the U.S.among Puerto Ricans. The journey was by boat and the cost of tickets was prohibitive for most living on the island. However, after World War II migration increased. In 1945, only 13,000 Puerto Ricans were living in New York City. By the mid-1960s, there were more than one million Puerto Ricans living on the U.S. mainland, with the majority in New York City. The sudden influx had a few causes. Principally, air travel became affordable making the journey easier and more accessible. Additionally, the continued economic depression on the island meant that many Puerto Ricans were searching for opportunity and a new start. Factories and other job agencies began recruiting workers in Puerto Rico.
The majority of Puerto Ricans settled in New York City, and they faced barriers such as discrimination, poverty, and unemployment. However, many second-generation Puerto Ricans began organizing for greater political and civil rights as well as supporting the Puerto Rican population on the mainland. The Nuyorican movement which began in the 1960s and 1970s used poetry and other art forms to speak to the unique experience of Puerto Rican migrants. Through their art, they promoted pride in their heritage and spoke out about the economic, political, and social challenges Puerto Ricans faced in the U.S.
The current political status of Puerto Rico as a commonwealth keeps its politics and economy in a limbo that complicates daily life, and continues to fuel migration. As of 2017, there are more Puerto Ricans living on the United States mainland than on the island. 5.6 million Latino/as of Puerto Rican origin live in the United States, including those who were born in Puerto Rico and those who trace their family to Puerto Rico. Currently, only 3.4 million people live in Puerto Rico.
