You are here

Civic and Cultural Pride, Identity and Promotion

Latino and Hispanic immigrants in New York State have found diverse ways to acculturate and forge new identities while celebrating their homelands and culture.  Newly-arrived Dominicans in New York City in the 1960s, for example, embraced local politics, making their presence known through strong civic participation.  Clubs and cultural organizations provide entertainment and companionship, while serving to continue ethnic traditions and maintain strong cultural identity for new generations.  The Club Cívico Cultural Juan Pablo Duarte, devoted to promoting public awareness of the founder of the Dominican Republic, is one such organization.  Artists creating in all genres have advanced cultural ideals.  For instance, the Borinquen Dance Theatre of upstate New York brought Puerto Rican folklore and contemporary Latin style dance to national audiences, and the Museum of Contemporary Hispanic Art exhibited the work of many important Latin American, Spanish, Portuguese and Latino artists.  Numerous parades and festivals showcase cultural traditions of New York’s Latino/Hispanic communities, including the annual Cuban Day, Puerto Rican Day, Bronx Latinos Unidos, Mexican Day and Dominican Day parades.

For more information on civic and cultural identity within Latino/Hispanic communities in New York State, go to the following collections:  Felipe N. Torres Papers, Juan Paulino Collection, Tito Enrique Cánepa Collection, Zunilda Fondeur Collection, Margarita Madera Collection, Normandía Maldonado Papers, Hispanic/Latino Collection, Nydia Padilla-Rodriguez Papers, Museum of Contemporary Hispanic Art Records, Latino Community Organizations and Individuals (Syracuse, New York) Records.