Overview
Every June, we celebrate Caribbean American Heritage Month, recognizing the great historical contributions of various peoples whose roots can be traced to the countries that make up the Caribbean subregion of the Americas.
First federally recognized by President George W. Bush in June 2006, Caribbean American Heritage Month recognizes a community that has shaped U.S. history from its earliest days: Alexander Hamilton, our nation’s first Treasury Secretary was himself a migrant from the Colony of Nevis (part of today’s nation of St. Kitts and Nevis) in the British Leeward Islands. Even earlier, in 1613, historical records show that Juan Rodriguez from the Spanish colony of Santo Domingo (today’s Dominican Republic) was the first non-Indigenous person to settle in New Amsterdam, the area that would eventually become downtown New York City.
Not all migration to and from the Caribbean was voluntary, however. During the operation of the transatlantic slave trade from the 16th to 19th century, the British forcibly brought millions of enslaved Africans to their colonies in the Caribbean to work on enormous tobacco, sugar, and coffee plantations. These industries, which upheld the region’s economy, could not have otherwise been sustained, as Indigenous Caribbean populations were dying out, unable to survive deadly European diseases like smallpox. Though the slave trade became illegal in the British Empire in 1807, the exploitation and use of forced labor continued. Later, South Asians and East Asians were brought to present-day Guyana, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago as coerced laborers.
When slavery was abolished in the U.S. after the end of the Civil War in 1865, migration from the Caribbean grew significantly. Most Caribbean immigrants at the time were fleeing from poverty and looking to escape destructive hurricanes, droughts, and floods in their homelands. While in 1850, there were 4,000 U.S. residents of Caribbean descent, the population grew to more than 20,000 in 1900, and almost 100,000 in 1930.
As of 2019, over 13 million people living in the United States—or 4% of its total population—have Caribbean ancestry. Approximately 4.5 million Caribbean immigrants represent 10% of the nation’s foreign-born population. Today, the largest Caribbean immigrant groups to the U.S. are from Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Haiti, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago. U.S. citizens from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have also migrated to the mainland U.S. in large numbers. These communities trace their roots back to Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, and include a mix of cultures, religions, and languages.
New York City boasts the highest Caribbean population of all U.S. cities. Across all boroughs, there are vibrant communities like "Little Haiti" in Brooklyn and “Little Dominican Republic” in the Washington Heights area of Manhattan. In these neighborhoods, you'll frequently hear conversations in Spanish, French, and Haitian Creole—commonly spoken languages in Caribbean nations, and among the top spoken languages in the City. You'll also always see Caribbean heritage, culture, and contributions on full display.
This June, and all year long, we encourage our families to explore the resources below to learn more about Caribbean Americans and their vibrant and diverse community, and their impact on this country, and particularly the fabric of this multicultural City.
Reading List
The following book suggestions, by grade, are about Caribbean history and experience that families and educators can read with their students in 3K through grade 12, this month and beyond. We hope you will enjoy and learn from these outstanding titles—some are historical and non-fiction by nature, while others are original works of fiction that feature characters of Caribbean ancestry and perspectives that are often not reflected in other popular works.
Early Readers (3-K–Grade 2)
- Across the Bay, by Carlos Apontes
- Alicia Alonso Dances On, by Rose Viña; illustrated by Gloria Felix
- Celia Cruz, Queen of Salsa, by Veronica Chambers
- Haiti A to Z, by M.J. Fievre; illustrated by Anastasia Khmelevska
- If Dominican Were a Color, by Sili Recio; illustrated by Brianna McCarthy
- Islandborn, by Junot Diaz; illustrated by Leo Espinosa
- Love, Lah Lah, by Nailah Blackman; illustrated by Jade Orlando
- Sélavi, That is Life, by Youme Landowne
- Starting Over in Sunset Park, by José Pelaez and Lynn McGee; illustrated by Bianca Diaz
- A Story about Afiya, by James Berry; illustrated by Anna Cunha
Elementary (Grades 3–5)
- Ana María Reyes Does Not Live in a Castle, by Hilda Eunice Burgos
- Auntie Luce’s Talking Paintings, by Francie LaTour; illustrated by Ken Daley
- Coming Up Cuban, by Sonia Manzano
- Each Tiny Spark, by Pablo Cartaya
- Eight Days: A Story of Haiti, by Edwidge Danticat; illustrated by Alix Delinois
- If You Read This, Kereen Getten
- The Jumbies, by Tracey Baptiste
- My Day With the Panye, by Tami Charles; illustrated by Sara Palacios
- Nightmare Island, by Shakirah Bourne
- Patchwork Prince, by Baptiste Paul
Middle School (Grades 6–8)
- 90 Miles to Havana, by Enrique Flores-Galbis
- Aniana del Mar Jumps In, by Jasminne Mendez
- Behind the Mountains, by Edwidge Danticat
- Hurricane Child, Kacen Callender
- Josephine Against the Sea, by Shakirah Bourne
- Pilar Ramirez and the Escape from Zafa, by Julian Randall
- Rooting for Rafael Rosales, by Kurtis Scaletta
- Serafina's Promise, by Ann E. Burg
- Singing With Elephants, by Margarita Engle
- When Life Gives You Mangos, by Kereen Getten
Upper Grades (Grades 9–12)
- American Street, by Ibi Zoboi
- Analee, in Real Life, by Janelle Milanes
- Dear Haiti, Love Alaine, by Maika and Maritza Moulite
- Learning to Breathe, by Janice Lynn Mather
- Hold Tight, Don't Let Go, by Laura Rose Wagner
- How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents, by Julia Alvarez
- Hurricane Summer, by Asha Ashanti Bromfield
- The Making of Yolanda la Bruja, by Lorraine Avila
- The Sun Is Also a Star, by Nicola Yoon
- Where the Rhythm Takes You, by Sarah Dass
Many of these books are readily available via New York’s public libraries, as well as through the Citywide Digital Library available on Sora for our students, featuring thousands of titles in e-book and audiobook formats. You can check out Sora's Caribbean American Heritage Month collection for even more great recommended reads!
Hidden Voices
Hidden Voices began as a collaboration with the Museum of the City of New York that was initiated to help City students learn about the countless individuals who are often "hidden" from traditional historical records. Each of the people highlighted in the series has made a positive impact on their communities while serving as outstanding examples of leadership, advocacy, and community service. There are several curriculum options available that are especially relevant during Caribbean American Heritage Month, including:
- Hidden Voices: Untold Stories in New York City History, which includes a profile of Elsie Richardson, the daughter of Caribbean immigrants from the island of Nevis who helped reinvigorate the Bed-Stuy neighborhood.
- Hidden Voices: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in United States History, which includes profiles of significant figures like Pat Chin–a multi-racial Jamaican woman who co-founded a record store in Jamaica that jumpstarted the careers of icons of Reggae, Soca, and Calypso music among others–and Nezam Ahmed Hafiz, a Guyanese Cricketer, who became the vice-captain of the United
States National Cricket Team in 2000
- Hidden Voices: Stories of the Global African Diaspora Volume 1 and Volume 2 both delve into the perspectives, experiences, and impact that peoples of African descent have had—and continue to have—on United States and world history. Two notable women of Caribbean descent include Anane “Queen Nanny,” known as Jamaica’s first and only female national heroine, who led a life of resistance, leadership and freedom; and Claudia Jones, a Trinidadian-born journalist and Mother of London’s Notting Hill Carnival—one of the largest cultural events and street parties in the world brining together Caribbean communities.
- Hidden Voices: LGBTQ+ Stories in United States History, which features prominent members of the LGBQ+ community among its profiles, including the poet Audre Lorde, whose mother immigrated to the U.S. from the island of Carriacou.
- Hidden Voices: Americans with Disabilities in United States History, which features profiles of history-making Caribbean Americans with disabilities, including Harry Belafonte, a Jamaican American civil rights activist and Emmy, Grammy, Tony, and Academy Award winning musician and actor with dyslexia and low vision; Wanda Díaz-Merced, an astronomer from Puerto Rico, who learned to listen to the stars after she, as an adult, lost her ability to look at them due to blindness; and Cuban actor and director Emerson Romero who didn’t let his deafness hamper a successful career in film and instead used it as an innovator in creating assistive products for the deaf community.
In addition to these lessons, we regularly feature profiles on history-making individuals who could be considered to be “hidden voices.” During Caribbean American History Month, check out our profiles on:
- Pura Belpré, a barrier-breaking storyteller who dedicated her life to ensuring the Puerto Rican children in New York were well-represented in the books on the shelves of the New York Public Library.
- Dr. Helen Rodríguez-Trías, a doctor and activist of Puerto Rican descent who played a pivotal role in the women’s health movement by advocating for the rights and freedoms of Latina women and other marginalized communities throughout her career.
- Antonia Pantoja, a Puerto Rican activist and educator known for fighting for the rights of her community, especially in New York City.
You can find more of our profiles throughout the year on our Hidden Voices webpage.