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Puerto Rican women are women who live in and are from Puerto Rico, an island territory of the United States. They became citizens of the U.S.A. in 1917. Before that year - in 1898 - women form Puerto Rico were already active participants in the labor movement and agricultural economy in the island. During the period of industrialization, Puerto Rican women took jobs in the so-called "needle industry", working as seamstresses in garment factories.
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Puerto Rican women in the military
Main article: Puerto Ricans in World War II Main article: Puerto Rican women in the military
When the United States entered World War II, Puerto Rican nurses volunteered for service but were not accepted into the Army or Navy Nurse Corps.
In 1944, the Army sent recruiters to the island to recruit no more than 200 women for the Women's Army Corps (WAC). Over 1,000 applications were received for the unit which was to be composed of only 200 women. The Puerto Rican WAC unit, Company 6, 2nd Battalion, 21st Regiment of the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps, a segregated Hispanic unit, was assigned to the Port of Embarkation of New York City, after their basic training at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. They were assigned to work in military offices which planned the shipment of troops around the world. Among them was PFC Carmen García Rosado, who in 2006, authored and published a book titled "LAS WACS-Participacion de la Mujer Boricua en la Segunda Guerra Mundial" (The WACs-The participation of the Puerto Rican women in the Second World War), the first book to document the experiences of the first 200 Puerto Rican women who participated in said conflict.
That same year the Army Nurse Corps (ANC) decided to accept Puerto Rican nurses so that Army hospitals would not have to deal with the language barriers. Thirteen women submitted applications, were interviewed, underwent physical examinations, and were accepted into the ANC. Eight of these nurses were assigned to the Army Post at San Juan, where they were valued for their bilingual abilities. Five nurses were assigned to work at the hospital at Camp Tortuguero, Puerto Rico. Among them was Second Lieutenant Carmen Lozano Dumler, who became one of the first Puerto Rican female military officers.
Not all the women served as nurses: some women served in administrative duties in the mainland or near combat zones. Such was the case of Technician Fourth Grade Carmen Contreras-Bozak who belonged to the 149th Women's Army Auxiliary Corps. The 149th Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) Post Headquarters Company was the first WAAC Company to go overseas, setting sail from New York Harbor for Europe on January 1943. The unit arrived in Northern Africa on January 27, 1943 and rendered overseas duties in Algiers within General Dwight D. Eisenhower's theater headquarters, T/4. Carmen Contreras-Bozak, a member of this unit, was the first Hispanic to serve in the U.S. Women's Army Corps as an interpreter and in numerous administrative positions.
Another was Lieutenant Junior Grade Maria Rodriguez Denton, the first woman from Puerto Rico who became an officer in the United States Navy as member of the WAVES. The Navy assigned LTJG Denton as a library assistant at the Cable and Censorship Office in New York City. It was LTJG Denton who forwarded the news (through channels) to President Harry S. Truman that the war had ended.
Some Puerto Rican women became notable in other fields outside of the military. Among them Sylvia Rexach - a composer of boleros, Marie Teresa Rios - an author, and Julita Ross - singer.
Sylvia Rexach, dropped-out of the University of Puerto Rico in 1942 and joined the United States Army as a member of the WACS where she served as an office clerk. She served until 1945, when she was honorably discharged. Marie Teresa Rios was a renowned Puerto Rican writer who also served in World War II. Rios, mother of Medal of Honor recipient, Capt. Humbert Roque Versace and author of The Fifteenth Pelican which was the basis for the popular 1960s television sitcom "The Flying Nun", drove Army trucks and buses. She also served as a pilot for the Civil Air Patrol. Rios Versace wrote and edited for various newspapers around the world, including places such as Guam, Germany, Wisconsin, and South Dakota, and publications such the Armed Forces Star & Stripes and Gannett. During World War II, Julita Ross entertained the troops with her voice in "USO shows" (United Service Organizations).
Notable Puerto Rican women
Main article: List of Puerto RicansProminent women from Puerto Rico include the following:
- Rita Moreno, actress
First female Puerto Rican and the first Hispanic woman to win the following four major awards: an Oscar, a Tony Award, an Emmy Award and a Grammy Award
- Nicholasa Mohr, writer
Her works, among which is the novel Nilda, tell of growing up in the Puerto Rican communities of the Bronx and El Barrio and of the difficulties Puerto Rican women face in the United States. In 1973, she became the first Hispanic woman in the modern times to have her literary works published by the major commercial publishing houses, and she has developed the longest career as a creative writer for these publishing houses than any other Hispanic female writer.
- Aída Álvarez
First Puerto Rican and first Hispanic woman to hold a sub-cabinet level position in the White House (Small Business Administrator 1997–2000).
- Maria Vizcarrondo-De Soto
Vizcarrondo-De Soto is the first woman and Latina to become the President and CEO of the United Way of Essex and West Hudson.
- María de las Mercedes Barbudo Political activist
Mercedes Barbudo is considered to be the first female from Puerto Rico "Independentista" meaning that she was the woman to become an avid advocate of the Puerto Rican Independence..
- Ana María O'Neill Women Rights activist and educator
In 1929, O'Neill became the first female professor in the field of Comerence in the University of Puerto Rico, a discipline which she taught until 1951. As a women's rights activist, she urged women to participate in every aspect of civic life and to defend their right to vote.
- Carmen Jovet,
Journalist, first Puerto Rican woman named news anchor in Puerto Rico.
- Sonia Sotomayor, U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice
First Puerto Rican woman to serve as an (2d Cir.) U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judge and to be nominated and confirmed as U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice
- Faith Evans, U.S. Marshal
Hawaiian-Puerto Rican, first woman to be named U.S. Marshal.
- Rose Franco, CWO3, U.S. Marine Corps
Franco was the first Hispanic woman Chief Warrant Officer in the Marine Corps. In 1965, Franco was named Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Navy, Paul Henry Nitze by the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson.
- Linda Garcia Cubero, Captain, U.S. Air Force
In 1980, Garcia Cubero, who is of Mexican-American/Puerto Rican heritage, became the first Hispanic woman graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and the first to graduate from an American Military Academy. - Carmen García Rosado, Private First Class, U.S. Women's Army Corps
García Rosado was among the first 200 Puerto Rican women to be recruited into the WAC's during World War II and the author of "LAS WACS-Participacion de la Mujer Boricua en la Segunda Guerra Mundial" (The WACs-The participation of the Puerto Rican women in the Second World War), which is the first book which documents the experiences of the first 200 Puerto Rican women to participate in said conflict as members of the armed forces of the United States.
- Dr. Dolores Piñero, U.S. Army Medical Corps
Piñero, who despite the fact that she was not an active member of the military, was the first Puerto Rican woman doctor to serve in the Army under contract during World War I. At first she was turned down, however after writing a letter to the Army Surgeon General in Washington, D.C. she was ordered her to report to Camp Las Casas in Santurce, Puerto Rico. On October 1918, She signed her contract with the Army.
- Maria Rodriguez Denton, Lieutenant, U.S. Navy
Rodriguez Denton was the first woman from Puerto Rico who became an officer in the United States Navy as member of the WAVES. It was Lt. Denton who forwarded the news (through channels) to President Harry S. Truman that the war had ended.
- Maritza Sáenz Ryan, Colonel, U.S. Army
Sáenz Ryan, who is of Puerto Ricana and Spanish descent, is the head of the Department of Law at the United States Military Academy. She is the first woman and first Hispanic (Puerto Rican and Spanish heritage) West Point graduate to serve as an academic department head. She also has the distinction of also being the most senior ranking Hispanic Judge Advocate.
- Dr. Antonia Coello Novello
First Hispanic and first woman U.S. Surgeon General (1990–93).
- Dr. Miriam Rodon-Naveira PhD, Puerto Rican NASA scientist
Rodón-Naveira was the first Hispanic woman to hold the Deputy Directorship for the Environmental Sciences Division within the National Exposure Research Laboratory.
- María Luisa Arcelay
First woman in Puerto Rico and in all of Latin America to be elected to a government legislative body.
- Carmen E. Arroyo
First Puerto Rican woman elected to any state assembly, chair New York Hispanic Legislative Caucus.
- Maria Colón Sánchez
Colón Sánchez was an activist and politician who in 1988, became the first Hispanic woman elected to the Connecticut General Assembly.
- Felisa Rincón de Gautier
First woman to be elected Mayor of a capital city in the Americas (Western Hemisphere).
- Gloria Tristani
First Hispanic woman appointed as one of the five commissioners of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
- Nydia Velázquez
First Puerto Rican congresswoman, Chair of House Small Business Committee.
- Wilda Diaz
First female mayor of Perth Amboy, New Jersey and first Puerto Rican woman elected mayor in that state.
- Bavi Edna Rivera, Episcopal Bishop
Rivera is the first Hispanic woman bishop and the 12th woman bishop in the Episcopal Church.
- Maritza Correia
first black Puerto Rican woman in the U.S. Olympic Swimming Team.
- Gigi Fernández
tennis player, the first female athlete from her native Puerto Rico to turn professional, the first Puerto Rican woman to ever win an Olympic gold medal and the first to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
- Sila M. Calderón
first female governor of Puerto Rico, elected in November 2000. She was the former mayor of San Juan.
- Yajaira Sierra Sastre
Sierra Sastre was chosen to take part in a new NASA project that will help to determine why astronauts don’t eat enough, having noted that they get bored with spaceship food and end up with problems like weight loss and lethargy that put their health at risk. She will live for four months isolated in a planetary module to simulate what life will be like for astronauts at a future base on Mars at a base in Hawaii. Sierra Sastre is an aspiring astronaut.
See also
- Puerto Rican women in the military
- List of Puerto Rican military personnel
- Puerto Ricans in World War II
References
- ^ Introduction, Puerto Rican Labor Movement
- ^ Puerto Rican Woman in Defense of our country
- "LAS WACS"-Participacion de la Mujer Boricua en la Seginda Guerra Mundial; by: Carmen Garcia Rosado; page 60; 1ra. Edicion publicada en Octubre de 2006; 2da Edicion revisada 2007; Regitro tro Propiedad Intectual ELA (Government of Puerto Rico) #06-13P-)1A-399; Library of Congress TXY 1-312-685.
- ^ Bellafaire, Judith. "Puerto Rican Servicewomen in Defense of the Nation". Women In Military Service For America Memorial Foundation. Retrieved October 10, 2006.
- Kennon, Katie. "Young woman's life defined by service in Women's Army Corps". US Latinos and Latinas & World War II. Archived from the original on 2006-09-19. Retrieved 2006-10-10.
- Music of Puerto Rico
- Marie Teresa Rios
- Popular Culture
- Dictionary of Literary Biography intro online
- Heath Anthology bio
- "Hispanic Firsts", By; Nicolas Kanellos, publisher Visible Ink Press; ISBN 0-7876-0519-0; p.40
- El Diario/La Prensa
- Mercedes – La primera Independentista Puertorriquena
- Biografias
- Rachel Heyhoe
- Garcia Cubero, Linda. "Punto Final!". Latina Style. Archived from the original on 3 March 2009. Retrieved 24 March 2009.
- "LAS WACS"-Participacion de la Mujer Boricua en la Seginda Guerra Mundial; by: Carmen Garcia Rosado; page 60; 1ra. Edicion publicada en Octubre de 2006; 2da Edicion revisada 2007; Regitro tro Propiedad Intectual ELA (Government of Puerto Rico) #06-13P-)1A-399
- Women's Military Memorial
- Ryan takes charge of Law Department
- Maritza Sáenz Ryan - Bio.
- Biografia
- Maria Sanchez: Godmother of the Puerto Rican Community
- Diocese of Olympia’
- according to Hispanic Magazine, 1988
- "Gigi Fernández: "We Have A Mixed Identity"". Puerto Rico Herald. Retrieved 17 May 2011.
- Puerto Rico A Timeline, Almost a Woman, PBS, New York
- Yajaira Sierra One Step Closer to Becoming First Puerto Rican Woman in Space
- Yajaira Sierra dreams of being 1st Puerto Rican woman in space
Further readings
- Puerto Rican Women's History: New Perspectives (review) by Anne S. Macpherson
- Puerto Rican Women's History: New Perspectives by Félix V. Matos Rodríguez and Linda C. Delgado
- Re-visioning History: Puerto Rican Women, Activism & Sexuality by Heather Montes Ireland
External links
| Women in North America | |
|---|---|
| Sovereign states | |
| Dependencies and other territories | |