Additional information
by Daniel M. Lopez (Author)
This 2nd Edition printed book (Nov. 2016) is an "expanded and updated" print version of my 1st Edition book of March 2013 (as well as my digitized Amazon.com e-book version, also of March 2013). This 2nd Edition book provides an historical, social, economic and geographical analysis (refer to Puerto Rico's August 1899 devastating hurricane which greatly adversely affected its economy, its agriculture and its population) which then created the conditions for immigration, en masse, from Puerto Rico (AKA: "Porto Rico" from 1898 to 1932) to California (1850-1925), as well as to the then Hawaiian Territory (from December 23, 1900-1925). The Puerto Rican diaspora to the United States, as well as to Hawaii, are partially attributed to Hawaii's long-lasting historical need for "cheap" labor. Puerto Rico's immigration history is briefly compared to the different European Ethnic Groups which were also recruited by the Hawaiian Sugar Industry personnel to also work in the Hawaii sugar cane fields, as well. This 2nd Edition consists of 256 pages, and has a comprehensive and detailed "Topical Index", an "Epilogue", in addition to having 27 other Chapters. It has a total of 423 Bibliographic Sources, many of which are "Primary Sources". It also has 32 "Exhibits" (i.e., photos, copies of Census pages from the 1852 State of California Census, the 1860, 1870 and 1900, and the 1920 U.S. Federal Census, as well). Several photos from 1890s life in Puerto Rico (under the Spanish colonial rule), as well as photos from the December 15, 1900 issue of the San Francisco Examiner newspaper are also provided. Additionally, this book has two demographic population Tables/Charts which provides the Puerto Rican population figures in 1900, 1910, 1920 and for 2000, for selective cities and counties in California (e.g., San Francisco, CA; Alameda County; City of Oakland; City of Los Angeles; Los Angeles County; City of San Diego; San Diego County; New York City; as well as for the United States and for Puerto Rico, for the above cited years. A copy of the first "employment contract" which was presented to the first Puerto Rican (AKA: "Porto Ricans" from 1898 to 1932) field laborer immigrants to Hawaii titled, Report Commissioner of Labor on Hawaii. 1902 (1903), is provided. The first 50 pages or so are significantly devoted to the Puerto Rican immigrants to Hawaii from 1900 to 1925. A significant portion of the remaining narrative portion of the book is devoted to the San Francisco, CA, Bay Area, as well as in the Northern California area, where the vast majority of the Puerto Rican immigrants in California from 1900 to 1925, resided during this time. Los Angeles County and San Diego County are briefly discussed in my book. In particular, Puerto Rican enclaves (i.e., colonias) in the San Francisco area were identified both by their street names, as well as by their numerical population figures that constituted these then emerging communities. From a genealogical standpoint the book contains the names of over 350 Puerto Rican laborer emigrants (and where known, those of their children) from Puerto Rico that arrived in either California (from 1850-1925), and/or to Hawaii (on December 23, 1900). Where known, the Occupation, or Profession, of these immigrants, as well as the names of the spouse is identified as well. The name and brief history of possibly the first "Census documented" person who emigrated from Puerto Rico to California (in December 1849), namely, Simon M. Mezes (AKA: S.M. Mazie). Mr. Mezes' historical pioneering significance to the State of California is described, including his finding of what today is known as Redwood City, California on August 1, 1856 (the original name of this City was called Mezesville, and this name was changed upon its "incorporation" in 1867). A copy of Mr. Mezes' August 1, 1856 map of his city is provided! Redwood City, in San Mateo County, is in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Author Biography
Born in Puerto Rico and raised in the "South Bronx", I am the co-Editor & Staff Writer for the "El Boricua" newsletter (House of Puerto Rico-San Diego, CA). I published my first articles relating to the Puerto Rican diaspora while I was a Graduate Student at the University of Oregon in 1975. i am a current member of the California Genealogical Society (Oakland, CA), a member of the Maui (Hawaii) Genealogical Society, and a former member of the New York Genealogical Society of New York (HGSNY). I am a former member of the Chula Vista, CA Genealogical Society. Since 1997 I have written articles for the "El Boricua" newsletter for the San Diego, CA Puerto Rican community population of close to 25,000. The first edition of my printed book (March 2013) was positively reviewed in the academic publication titled CENTRO: Journal of the Center for Puerto Rican Studies (Volume XXVI, Number 1, Spring 2014) by Professor William Velez (see: pages 196-198). Dr. Velez summarized my book as follows: "More research is needed on Boricua in Hawaii and California, but Daniel Lopez has contributed a valuable resource for students and scholars of this chapter in the Puerto Rican diaspora." (page 198) I earned my B.S. Degree from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 1973 (in Sociology) and my M.S. Degree from the University of Oregon in 1978. I am a "Nuyorican" who lived in the "South Bronx" area of New York City during my years at De Witt Clinton High School (Bronx, New York). Finally, I worked for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for almost 30 years, as a Federal Senior Enforcement Investigator (EEO).
