Cuban Americans

Cuban Immigration to the United States

Before Fidel Castro's takeover of the Cuban government, upper- and upper-middle-class Cubans traveled to U.S. cities to shop and vacation. Cuba's geographic proximity to the United States allowed for easy exchange between the countries. Americans were landowners and business owners on the island as well as frequent vacationers. These Cubans were bilingual, watched American movies, and listened to American songs. Young men attended colleges and prep schools in the United States. This familiarity and the island's geographic proximity made the United States, and specifically Florida, a natural destination for those who left the island.

The greatest influx of Cubans to the United States began after Castro's takeover. Since then, Cubans have left their country and settled throughout the world in great numbers. A majority, however, have settled in the Dade County area in Florida and along the East Coast of the United States. Although some researchers have identified up to 10 distinct migrations of Cubans to the United States, four major groups will be discussed here.

The first wave of Cubans arrived in the United States during 1959 and the early 1960s. Most were highly educated Caucasian professionals of the upper and upper middle class who fled because of safety concerns and their refusal to live under communism. The Castro regime identified some of these Cubans as threats and took over their properties. Many Cuban children and adolescents, who later became known as “Peter Pan children,” were sent to the United States by their parents after the Cuban government declared that all children were wards of the state and that parents had no legal rights over them. During this time, many changes were made in the schools, and Communist ideology became prominent in the curriculum. Private schools and prep schools were closed down.

The second wave of Cubans came to the United States during the mid-1960s and 1970s; these immigrants were mostly middle-class professionals. These individuals and families left Cuba because they did not wish to live under communism and had suffered the loss of jobs and properties.

[Page 122]These two groups of Cuban Americans prefer to call themselves exiles rather than immigrants. Their migration was based on ideology rather than economic concerns, and for many years they believed that their stay in the United States would be temporary. “Next year in Cuba!” became a standard toast during Christmas and New Year celebrations.

The socioeconomic level of the first two waves of Cuban immigrants and their bilingual status helped them to become rapidly established in the United States. They were well accepted by the population here, obtained employment, opened their own businesses, and acquired licenses to practice their professions (e.g., as doctors or attorneys). They are considered one of the most successful immigrant groups in the United States.

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