Historical Resources
Unfortunately, the resources with information for genealogists about Puerto Rico is quite scarce although it is improving as the years go by. I've had to search relentlessly over the years in the US and Puerto Rico. There are a few histories of the island written in Spanish but are not very detailed about each of the separate areas of the island. Well written, accessible English resources are even more difficult to come by. Yet, if one is dedicated and up for investigation, mysteries may be uncovered.
Videos Online
America's Backyard - Puerto Rico - Short documentary.
John Oliver's commentary on Voting Rights in US Territories - A hilarious, blunt synopsis of the bizarre representation and voting rights of US Territories. (some expletives).
Raices - Music documentary. This is of Bomba and Plena. Made by Banco Popular.
En Mi Pais - Music documentary. Christmas music. Made by Banco Popular.
Queridos Reyes Magos - Music documentary. Christmas/ Three Kings Day muisc. Made by Banco Popular.
La Guagua Aerea - Feature-length drama that details the Christmas Eve journey on the "Air Bus" from Puerto Rico to New York. Excellent!
John Oliver's commentary on Voting Rights in US Territories - A hilarious, blunt synopsis of the bizarre representation and voting rights of US Territories. (some expletives).
Raices - Music documentary. This is of Bomba and Plena. Made by Banco Popular.
En Mi Pais - Music documentary. Christmas music. Made by Banco Popular.
Queridos Reyes Magos - Music documentary. Christmas/ Three Kings Day muisc. Made by Banco Popular.
La Guagua Aerea - Feature-length drama that details the Christmas Eve journey on the "Air Bus" from Puerto Rico to New York. Excellent!
Photographs
Listed below are a few great websites.
Vintage Photos Show Puerto Rico 100 Years Ago - National Geographic
El Grito de Lares - Google Arts & Culture La Mixta by Francisco Cervoni Brenes - Google Arts & Culture El Pan Nuestro by Ramón Frade - Google Arts & Culture Works of Francisco Oller - Google Arts & Culture Photographic Historical Archives of Puerto Rico Project Information Photographs of Puerto Rico from the 1940's and 1950's - scanned by Tom Lehman Photos of Puerto Rico in the Library of Congress You can find more photos if you click to the right to follow on Pinterest. I update this regularly. |
Pinterest is a fantastic website that allows you to "pin" images and websites in various categories that you create. It is a great way to have easy access to your interests in lieu of clogging your bookmark pages.
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Literature - Fiction
Literature - Non-Fiction
Listed below are a few titles. Many more titles are included if you click to the right to follow on Pinterest. I update this regularly.
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Pinterest is a fantastic website that allows you to "pin" images and websites in various categories that you create. It is a great way to have easy access to your interests in lieu of clogging your bookmark pages.
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Maps
The Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection from the University of Texas at Austin has maps of Puerto Rico and includes some towns.
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Articles and Informational Research Texts
A Tale of Two Governors - excerpt from a book about the early days of American colonization of Puerto Rico by Nelson A Denis.
The Man Who Stole Puerto Rico - A short article about a Governor of Puerto Rico and the sugar industry.
Colección Puertorriqueña - A list of resources housed in the library of the University of Puerto Rico.
La Formación del Pueblo Puertorriqueño The formation of the Puerto Rican town (Spanish) - This collection comprises a series of books meticulously detailing demographic information about immigrants to Puerto Rico in the 19th Century. Authored by Dra. Estela Cifre de Loubriel, a distinguished professor at the University of Puerto Rico, these five volumes offer invaluable insights into Puerto Rico's historical population dynamics. Original copies of these books are exceedingly rare, and information extracted from them is nearly inaccessible online. However, they can be found in the libraries of the University of Puerto Rico and the Library of Congress at the University of Maryland campus. While some top-tier universities may offer access through inter-library loans, it's essential to reserve these copies in advance, as borrowing them may not be permitted. Below, I've provided translations of the titles along with brief descriptions of the content you can expect to find within each volume. Given the extensive nature of these texts, I recommend exploring the Surname page to identify the regions where your family may have originated. Additionally, I plan to include a page offering a concise overview of where these immigrant families settled on the island, aiding you in initiating your research journey.
The five texts dedicated to Spanish immigrants are the following:
La Contribución de los Gallegos, Asturianos y Santanderinos [The Contribution of the Galicians, Asturians, and Santander] - This volume lists people from Galicia, Asturias, and Santander
- Galicia is an autonomous community situated just above Portugal in the northwestern corner of Spain. Many residents still speak Gallego, a Romance language that branched off from Portuguese in the 14th century.
- Asturias, the principality located just east of Galicia, is positioned along the northern border, adjacent to the Bay of Biscay.
- Santander is the capital city in the province of Cantabria, positioned just east of Asturias in northern Spain.
La Contribución de los Catalanes, Balearicos y Valencianos [The Contribution of the Catalans, Balearic Islanders, and Valencians] - this volume lists people from Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, and Valencia
- Catalonia is an autonomous community situated on the northeastern coast of Spain. It encompasses four provinces, including the capital city of Barcelona. A significant portion of the population speaks Catalan, a language distinct from Spanish.
- The Balearic Islands constitute an archipelago located in the Mediterranean Sea to the east of mainland Spain. Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza, and Formentera are among the islands in this group. Both Catalan and Spanish are commonly spoken in this region.
- Valencia is an autonomous community situated on the eastern coast of Spain, bordered by the Mediterranean Sea. In Valencia, Valencian, a dialect of Catalan, is spoken alongside Spanish.
La Contribución de los Vascongados, Navarros y Aragoneses [The Contribution of the Basque, Navarre, and Aragonese] - this volume lists people from Basque Country, Navarre and Aragon
La Contribución de los Andaluces, Murcianos y Ceuties [The Contribution of the Andalucians, Murcians, and Ceutans] - this volume lists people from Andalucia, Murcia, and Ceuta
La Contribución de los Isleño-Canarios [The Contribution of the Canary Islanders] - this volume lists people from the Canary Islands
She also published:
- The Basque Country s an autonomous community located along the northern border of Spain, situated just east of Catalonia and southeast of France. It comprises three provinces, with the capital city being Bilbao. Basque, a non-Romance language, is widely spoken in this region.
- Navarre is a Chartered Community situated in northern Spain, just east of the Basque Country and south of France. Its capital city is Pamplona.
- Aragon is an autonomous community located in northern Spain, nestled at the base of the Pyrenees mountains, situated between Navarre and Catalonia.
La Contribución de los Andaluces, Murcianos y Ceuties [The Contribution of the Andalucians, Murcians, and Ceutans] - this volume lists people from Andalucia, Murcia, and Ceuta
- Andalucia is the most populous autonomous community in Spain, with its capital city being Seville. It encompasses cities such as Cadiz, Cordoba, and Granada. Positioned at the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea, Andalusia is separated from the Atlantic Ocean. Notably, Andalusia's speech pattern, known as "seseo" has influenced Puerto Rico's distinct accent.
- Murcia is a small autonomous community that includes the city of Murcia, as well as the towns of Cartagena and Lorca. Situated along the Mediterranean coast, Murcia is located just east of Andalusia.
- Ceuta is an autonomous city of Spain situated on the African continent. Its western border is with Morocco, and it is separated from mainland Spain by the Strait of Gibraltar.
La Contribución de los Isleño-Canarios [The Contribution of the Canary Islanders] - this volume lists people from the Canary Islands
- The Canary Islands is an archipelago situated off the coast of Morocco. While comprising seven main islands, it is considered a single autonomous community of Spain.
She also published:
- Catalogo de Extranjeros Residentes en Puerto Rico en el Siglo XIX Catalog of Foreign Residents in Puerto Rico in the 19th Century
The tables below are a summary of information published in La Real Cédula de Gracias de 1815 y sus primeros efectos en Puerto Rico by Raquel Rosario Rivera.
Art
Puerto Ricans have created amazing art in many forms over the centuries. One of my personal favorites is the painter, Luis Cajiga. I was lucky enough to meet and speak with him a few years ago at his studio in Viejo San Juan. Three of his paintings are below.
Cajiga Studio - Calle San Justo No. 205, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Islaonline.com has a variety of arts and rafts as well as food items from Puerto Rico.
M.I.Brens Mosaícos has gorgeous mosaics of the flag and other scenes of Puerto Rico.
M.I.Brens Mosaícos has gorgeous mosaics of the flag and other scenes of Puerto Rico.
The artist duo from the beloved Mi Pequeño San Juan are now part of Poets Passage Cafe. They make plaster home fronts of Old San Juan and personalize them. I think every member of my family outside of Puerto Rico has one to remind them of the island.
Pinterest is a fantastic website that allows you to "pin" images and websites in various categories that you create. It is a great way to have easy access to your interests in lieu of clogging your bookmark pages.
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The store front moved from its original location to 151 Calle Fortaleza, Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
"You want a lesson? I'll give you a lesson. How about a geography lesson? My father's from Puerto Rico. My mother's from El Salvador. And neither one of those is Mexico." - Jennifer Esposito