1900-1945: LOS PIONEROS/THE PIONEERS

In 1899, two major hurricanes kill thousands of Puerto Ricans and destroy agricultural production. U.S.-owned corporations eager to meet worldwide sugar demands recruit more than 5,000 Puerto Ricans to work on plantations in Hawaii, the Dominican Republic and Cuba.

This migration of workers to Hawaii is the first major exodus of contract labor out of Puerto Rico. From 1900 to 1901, entire families take the long journey by ship to New Orleans, then by train to San Francisco, and then by ship again to Hawaii. At each stop, some Puerto Ricans stay behind and begin new communities. 

In 1900, the U.S. establishes a civilian government in Puerto Rico and opens the way for American companies