¡Hola mi Gente!
Today, Puerto Ricans will head to the Puerto Rican Day
Parade to show pride in our cultural heritage. Contrary to what you may, or may
not, have heard, the parade isn’t a rape fest, or an organized crime spree. I
had wanted to post a real history of the parade, how it started and why,
and how it was in truth the result of a grassroots movement, but I don’t have
the time right now. The following was posted by a Boricua for the NY Post
several years ago and it features the many high (and low) lights of what is
still one of the largest (if not the largest) outdoor event in the U.S.
A little personal side note: one of my sisters was a PR
Parade Beauty queen (in the mid 70s).
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Puerto Rican Parade
50 Greatest Moments
By Eneida del Valle
From
beauty queens who marched in heels to politicians who sported fake smiles to
win some votes, to the controversial 'Seinfeld' episode, the Puerto Rican
Parade has made Big Apple history for over half a century.
March
1958: Leaders from the Puerto Rican community decide to break away from the
Hispanic Day Parade and create the Puerto Rican Day Parade. According to an
editorial in "El Diario," the main objective of the Hispanic Day
Parade, which was mainly run by Puerto Ricans, is to unite all peoples of the
Spanish language. The Puerto Rican Day Parade is founded by Victor Lopez, the
march’s first president; coordinator Jose “Chuito” Caballero; Peter Ortiz; Luisa
Quintero; Luis Amando Feliciano; Vicente Hernández; Angel M. Arroyo; Atanacio
Rivera Feliciano; and Amalio Maisanave RÃos.
April
1958: The first Puerto Rican Day parade is held on Fifth Avenue on April 14 as
5,000 Boricuas march in front of a crowd of 125,000. It’s a huge success,
receiving a hail of positive reviews from the media. The Herald Tribune says,
“There are longer and larger parades but none encompass the spirit of the
Puerto Rican Day Parade,” and the New York Times says, “The Puerto Ricans have
taken over Fifth Avenue.” Then-New York Mayor Robert F. Wagner is quoted in the
New York Times, as saying “The Puerto Ricans have demonstrated their civic and
cultural contributions to the City of New York.” But what really got tongues
wagging was when Gloria Burgos, the queen of the parade, and her court, walked
all 34 blocks in high heels after the float she was supposed to appear on never
showed up. Attendees included then-Governor of Puerto Rico Don Luis Muñoz Marin
and Oscar González Suarez, Esq. as the Grand Marshall.
April
12, 1959: The second parade goes off -- but not without a hitch. Community
leaders and the media form an alliance called Un Frente Unido por un Solo
Desfile (A United Front for One Parade) in an effort to unite the Hispanic Day
Parade and the Puerto Rican Day Parade, urging organizers for unity and
harmony. But to no avail. The president of the parade, Mr. Victor Lopez, is
quoted in El Diario de Nueva York as saying, “The parade will definitely not
unite with any other Hispanic parade in New York City.” Despite the 40-degree
weather, it’s attended by 160,000 people and more than 10,000 people make their
way up Fifth Avenue. Then-New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller is in
attendance.
April
1960 & 1961: Parade continues its success up Fifth Avenue with more
than 165,000 in attendance both years.
June
1962: It’s official! The parade is held on June 10, the second Sunday in June
and that date has not changed since. In order to have the legislators from the
main island attend the parade – they’re all tied up until May 30 -- organizers
decide to change the date to accommodate them and the route is extended from
44th-86th streets. Good thing they waited! The ‘62 parade is billed as the
best, brightest, biggest and most expensive ever, costing $100,000 with 50
floats and 40 bands -- and half a million Boricuas in attendance. Yet it was
former Mayor of San Juan Felisa Rincón who stole the show. Instead of staying
with the rest of the politicians at the stage on 64th Street, she made the decision
to ride in a convertible, causing an outpouring of love and support from the
crowd.
1965:
Described as the best organized parade yet, thousands of people start lining
along the route to get a glimpse of what the media called “The most genuine
representation of Boricuas in the United States.”
1967:
For the first time in its history, the Puerto Rican Day Parade is broadcast on
television the same evening, June 4 from 9 p.m.-10:30 p.m. on channel 47
Telemundo, sponsored by Schaefer Beer.
1968:
The parade goes commercial. Responding to a petition by various Puerto Rican
organizations, Goya, Accent, Café Caribe and Sazón all donate floats to the
parade and once again, the event is hailed a success.
1969:
The parade marks its first political incident, as supporters of Castro and
Puerto Rican Nationalists march in protest and try to disturb the festive sprit
by yelling “Yankees Go Home!” But nothing can ruin the excitement of over
100,000 marchers and 350,000 spectators. The festivities continued with no further
interruptions, highlighted by artists such as the great Rita Moreno.
1972:
Hailed as one of the most diverse parades in years, this year the parade opened
its doors not just to dignitaries and beauty queens but also to nationalist and
militant groups. They are allowed to march peacefully in protest against the
U.S. involvement in Puerto Rico.
1975:
Once again the parade hits another peak when more than half a million people
march up Fifth Avenue for the annual festivities. The parade is dedicated to singer,
songwriter and composer Bobby Capó, who, to this day, is considered one of
Puerto Rico’s best.
1977:
With 350,000-plus in attendance, the parade is once again interrupted, but not
by communist or nationalist groups. This time it’s former New York Congressman
Herman Badillo. The police had to intervene when, without authorization from
parade officials, he and his legion of organizers -- he was running for mayor
-- decided to march. “El Diario La Prensa” quoted him as saying, “I march
because I am one of the founders of the parade.” To avoid any further
disruptions, coordinator Federico Pérez told police to let them march.
1980s:
Throughout the ‘80s, the parade goes off without a hitch. It gets larger as
more than 200,000 march and attendance nears the one million mark. The parade
acquires more sponsors, such as Budweiser and Heineken, and many Puerto Rican
legends, like Tito Puente, march. There are also flurries of parades throughout
the boroughs and in New Jersey.
1990:
One question was on the mind of every Boricua at the parade, should Puerto
Ricans living in the United States be allowed to vote on the island’s future?
The referendum on whether the island should become a state, stay a commonwealth
or become independent was front-page news and on the minds of the politicians,
such as then-Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer and former New York Mayor
David Dinkins. However, some onlookers boo the politicians, deciding the parade
was no place for politics.
1995:
It goes national! The Puerto Rican Day Parade becomes the National Puerto Rican
Day Parade and delegates from 31 states join in. Salsa is the theme this year
as singing sensations Tony Vega and Jerry Rivera join the march, along with the
granddaddy of them all, Parade Godfather Gilberto Santa Rosa.
1996:
The man who is known as the father of Puerto Rican culture, anthropologist,
geologist and recipient of the National Endowment for the Humanities award, Dr.
Ricardo AlegrÃa, is honored as the grand marshal of the parade. It is dedicated
to the Korean War’s highly decorated 65th Infantry Regiment of Puerto Rico. It
is also broadcast for the first time on English-language TV, New York's
WPIX/Channel 11. Seventy floats and over 150,000 marchers take part. And close
to 2 million come out to boo then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani (and cheer Geraldo
Rivera).
1998:
Oh yes they did! They went there. A week before the “Seinfeld” grand finale and
a month before the parade, Boricuas everywhere were shocked when one of the
most popular shows in TV history aired the infamous flag-burning episode. The
episode is set around the Puerto Rican Day Parade where Seinfeld and his
buddies are driving back to the city after a Mets game and get stuck in
traffic. Kramer blurts out “every Puerto Rican in the world must be out here.”
While lighting a cigar with a sparkler, he sets a Puerto Rican flag on fire
when he throws the sparkler in the back seat. In an attempt to put out the
flames, he starts stomping on it. A group of spectators see him and declare
“Maybe we should stomp you like you stomp the flag!” He screams and runs off as
they chase him. Jerry, who by then is in his apartment, makes it to the window
in time to see the crowd destroy his car. All while Kramer says, “It's like
this every day in Puerto Rico.” Because of the backlash, NBC promised to never
air the “Puerto Rican Day Parade” episode again. Coincidentally, the parade for
the first time is aired nationally on NBC. Still, organizers were able to
attract more corporate sponsors as Hershey and Palmolive join. A heavy downpour
would not keep folks away as they danced to the sounds of La India and Marc
Anthony and enjoyed watching Julio Diaz, known for dancing around NYC subways
with a foam woman attached to his waist.
1999:
The first-ever Puerto Rican Day Parade is held in Queens.
2000:
It’s a sad day for all, as the parade is dedicated to the memory of Boricua
Great Tito Puente, whose unexpected death comes one month before the national
event. And, in a shameful turn of events, the parade, not ever having a single
incident of lawlessness, is marred by controversy as more than 50 women are
assaulted in Central Park. The world watches as video is shown by various news
organizations. As it turns out, most of the men arrested were not Latino or
Puerto Rican. In total, 18 are arrested for the assaults. The police are
accused of not doing enough to stop the attacks. Video showed police doing
nothing while the women are groped and stripped.
2001:
Although the assaults of the previous year loom over the parade, politicians
such as former Mayor Guiliani, Senator Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer urge
people to not hold the parade responsible for the previous year’s tragedy.
Celebrities come out in droves, including boxing champ Tito Trinidad, Marc
Anthony, former Ms. Universe Denise Quiñones and Puerto Rico’s first female
governor, Sila M. Calderon. The focus of the parade was Vieques and thousands
wore white ribbons in support of efforts to stop the bombing and remove the
Navy from the island.
2002-2003:
Even though a record-breaking 2.5 million Puerto Ricans attended the parade in
2003, the public and media won't forget what happened and the positive message
to be proud of Puerto Rican heritage and its contributions to America seems
lost.
2004:
There’s controversy again as businesses and condos board up their exteriors
along the route. Storeowners and tenants claim property will be destroyed by
parade goers. The community is outraged and Mayor Bloomberg criticizes the
move. The Post sponsors its first float, featuring reggaetón superstars Tego
Calderon and Vico C.
2005:
Reggaetón continues to rise in popularity. Daddy Yankee is the N.Y. Post's
float star. At 96th Street, he has to be escorted out by police as thousands of
screaming fans storm police barricades to get close to their idol.
2006:
Rocking a guayabera, Mayor Bloomberg marches alongside the Latino mega-power
couple Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez. Rosie Perez, Jimmy Smits, Willie Colón
and Don Omar, among others, march. Grand Marshal Marc Anthony and J-Lo sit in a
convertible and are escorted by NYPD security 12-deep. The New York Post keeps
it local, getting Yerba Buena to rock their float with traditional folkloric
songs.
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My
name I Eddie and I’m in recovery from civilization…