Oral History: Lex Martinez
Abstract:
In this interview, my grandmother remembered a few things about her life with discrimination in Puerto Rico because she didn't experience much discrimination in her life. What she did remember, she based it off her mother’s experience with discrimination. My grandmother spoke on how racism played a huge part in Puerto Rican society and the way of living and also how she always viewed people throughout her life and how her parents always taught her to view people “not by the color of their skin but by their character.”
Research:
One of the topics me and my grandmother discussed was racial discrimination throughout her life. As she didn't know or experience any discrimination throughout her time in Puerto Rico, I decided this was a good topic to research and find more about. I found that slavery wasn't in just Puerto Rico. Blacks were also placed in Puerto Rico, enslaved to harvest sugar. “Therefore, sugar in Puerto Rico meant slavery.” Also, racism wasn't just towards Whites and Blacks. Racial tensions also appeared between Blacks and Latinos, this problem goes unnoticed. But also to mention, there are racial tensions between Whites and Latinos by the color of their skin. Latinos can be literally any skin color, too light you can be considered as white, too dark you can be considered as black. There isn't a clear dividing line in skin color. If you don’t look Puerto Rican, you aren't Puerto Rican.
Sources:
#1. http://ipoaa.com/africa_puertorico.htm
#2. http://www.counterpunch.org/2008/05/29/puerto-rico-obama-and-the-politics-of-race/
#3. http://theracecardproject.com/but-you-dont-look-puerto-rican-2/
Transcript:
Interviewee: Rosalia Santiago
Interviewer: Lex Martinez
Date written: May 18, 2014
Time started: 9:47
L.M - Hello, my name is Lex Martinez. My interviewee is Rosa- Rosalia Santiago; my father’s mother. Um, the time is 9:20 and the date it May 14, 2014. Our first question will be “Your experience with racial discrimination throughout your life.
R.S- I can’t speak too much about racism because my time in puerto rico there wasn’t as much racism but I can remember the incidents my mom told me while she was growing up. But I can remember the experience my mother had with racism as far as the white people got to do certain things the darker people couldn’t do. And also darker colored people had to do the more labor intensive work for less pay, couldn’t go to school, also no benefits. Also she told me it was very difficult for her and her parents to grow up during these times.
L.M - Alright, our second question is “what do you remember about the iconic members of the civil rights movement, or anytime of movement in Puerto Rico?”
R.S - That I cannot speak on because I don’t remember anything about that.
L.M - Okay, our third question is “How has people view of race changed or has it changed?”
R.S - Racism in Puerto Rico has changed dramatically, it is very rare to hear about any racism incident in Puerto Rico now; because now the whites and the blacks have equal rights, now there are all types of races living in Puerto Rico. Now that the country is more diverse, racism isn’t completely gone, people may still experience something but it isn’t like back then.
L.M - Okay, um “What role did racism play in Puerto Rican society?”
R.S - Racism played a big part in Puerto Rico because the colored people like my parents had it rough. They were unable to get high paying jobs, go to school, get a proper education, and due to those events it was very difficult for them to live a normal life, the way racism played a part in Puerto Rican society.
L.M - The next question is “What were some experiences on how you overcome racial discrimination?”
R.S - The experience like I had explained earlier, and now we can be together in the same place no matter the color of our skin nor our race. We can go to the same churches, apply to better paying jobs, go to better schools, get a higher education, have your own business, and racism has declined as we move forward.
L.M - Our next question is, “How was your education and how fair was it?”
R.S - In my time growing up, I went to good schools and was well educated, also there were no different races attending different schools, the time I was growing up was pretty good, there wasn’t as much racism as told by my mother.
L.M - The next question is “what is your view on race and racism?”
R.S - To me i don’t look at racism, I see everyone as the same, black or white, it doesn’t matter to me i see them all the same. As growing up my parents told me to look at everyone equal, not to judge them by the color of their skin. And by my parents teaching me that, i taught my children not to judge by the color of their skin but by their character.
L.M - Our last and final question is “How old were you in 1960 and how was it like?”
R.S - In 1960 I was “Took her some time to figure it out how old she was” 20 years old, it was good during that time, I was already married, ready to start my family, and I was able to get a job and start working, and at the same time go to school. During that time I was every excited happy!
L.M - And that’s the end of our interview the final time is 9:26. Um, thank you grandma and I love you a lot, thank you for all your time (I give her a hug here)
R.S - Okay ! You’re welcome anytime i am able to help you just let me know and I hope everything works out for you.
L.M - Okay. Bye !
R.S - Bye !
Comments
No comments have been posted yet.
Log in to post a comment.