Political freedom and cultural diversity
New York City has played an oversized role in Puerto Rican affairs. As the major U.S. port on the East Coast for the Caribbean, the City and the Island were intimately linked since the early part of the 19th Century. Since the latter part of the 19th Century New York became home for a large Puerto Rican population who migrated here looking for better opportunities, political freedom and cultural diversity. In 800-words answer the following question: What has been the impact of New York in the development of early twentieth century Puerto Rican music?
In your answer evaluate and explain the impact. The question is open and you may take it anywhere, however, be sure that your answer is based on the three required readings (Acosta, plus the two chapters from Glasser’s book).
Some links to material:
Requirements: open
Answer preview
New York City became the home for Puerto Rican musicians and musical styles such as salsa and Latin jazz. A mix of diverse ethnic cultures highly characterized new York. It was favorable to Puerto Ricans since they fit in all spheres of New York music. They integrated the white and black jazz bands to create a unique smooth tune to the music. The city also commercialized the music through the American recording corporations. The massive migration of Puerto Rican musicians into the United States was also where most settled in New York City. New York also utilized the media, such as the New York Times to present awareness of the death of James Reese Europe. According to the magazine, his loss was incalculable, and his contribution to developing Puerto Rican music was the most significant (Luisillahermosa, 2011). Although he was an African American, he recruited musicians and artists directly from Puerto Rico due to their capability to absorb new musical forms. New York City created a favorable environment for this music genre because it was a blend of African American music identified with instinct.
[998 Words]
Political freedom and cultural diversity
