Nicaraguan American

Nicaraguan American
Nicaragüense Estadounidense

Hilda Solis • Diana López • Christianne Meneses Jacobs • Eve Torres • Gabriel Traversari • Carlos Callejas
Total population
324,750 (2010 est)[1][2]
Regions with significant populations
Florida 79,559 (2000 est) California 51,336 (2000 est)
Languages
Spanish, English
Religion
Roman Catholic, Protestantism

Part of a series of articles on Hispanic and Latino Americans
National origin groups
Argentine Americans Bolivian Americans Chilean Americans Colombian Americans Costa Rican Americans Cuban Americans Dominican Americans Ecuadorian Americans Guatemalan Americans Honduran Americans Mexican Americans Nicaraguan Americans Panamanian Americans Paraguayan Americans Peruvian Americans Puerto Ricans (stateside) Salvadoran Americans Spanish Americans Uruguayan Americans Venezuelan Americans
History
History of Hispanic and Latino Americans History of Mexican-Americans
Political movements
Hispanic and Latino American politics Chicano Movement
Organizations
National Hispanic Institute NALEO · RNHA Congressional Hispanic Caucus Congressional Hispanic Conference LULAC · MALDEF · NALFO · SHPE National Council of La Raza Association of Hispanic Arts · MEChA · UFW
Culture
Hispanic culture Literature · Music · Religion · Studies ·
Languages
English · Spanish in the United States Spanish · Spanglish
Lists
Communities with Hispanic majority Puerto Rico-related topics Notable Hispanics Related topics
Portals
Hispanic and Latino Portal
This box: view · talk · edit

Nicaraguan American (Spanish: Nicaragüense Estadounidense) are Americans of Nicaraguan ancestry who were born in or have immigrated to the United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were 177,684 Americans of full or partial Nicaraguan ancestry living in the U.S. in 2000 and an estimated 281,167 in 2005.

Immigrational History

Nicaraguans have immigrated to the United States in small groups since the early 1900s, but their presence was especially felt over the last three decades of the 20th century. The Nicaraguan community has concentrated in three major urban areas: Miami, Los Angeles, and New York City. And also in the state of Texas. More specifically Houston. According to the U.S. Census 1997 yearbook, more than 50 percent of Nicaraguans lived in Florida, 35 percent reported living in California, mostly around Los Angeles; and only 7 percent were registered in the New York-New Jersey area. In general, the Nicaraguan-American community is financially better off than most Central American groups. Nevertheless, there are major differences amongst the Nicaraguan American community: the most affluent community is located in the New York-New Jersey area, and the poorest are found in the Miami area. Nicaraguan Americans are Spanish-speaking and predominately Catholic. They celebrate the patron saints of the Roman Catholic Church with festivals and processions, which also provide a context for artistic and cultural expressions of the local identity. The most important patronal festivals for communities in Florida include Santa Ana, San Sebastian, La Purisima, San Jeronimo and La Griteria.^[3]

The U.S. census 1997 yearbook reported that roughly 239,000 Nicaraguans lived in the United States. The figures, published by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (now the Department of Homeland Security) statistical yearbooks are preferred by some analysts and policymakers mostly because the large majority of Nicaraguans have applied for refugee status in the United States and have filed a request for political asylum with INS offices. According to INS figures, 23,261 were admitted as permanent residents between 1976 and 1985; 75,264 were admitted between 1986 and 1993; and 94,582 between 1994 and 2002, with a total of 193,107 Nicaraguan immigrants being granted legal status since 1976.^[3]

The earliest documents of immigration from Nicaragua to the United States was combined in total with those of other Central American countries. However, according to the U.S. Census Bureau some 7,500 Nicaraguans legally immigrated from 1967 to 1976. An estimated 28,620 Nicaraguans were living in the U.S. in 1970, 90% of which self-reported as white on the 1970 census. Most Nicaraguan immigrants during the late 1960s were women: there were only 60 male Nicaraguan immigrants for every 100 female immigrants during this period.^[4] In 1998 more than two million Nicaraguans were left homeless due to hurricane Mitch, as a result many Nicaraguans received permanent residence or temporary protected status (TPS) in the late 1990s.^[5]

According to the 1990 U.S. Census 168,659 of the total 202,658 documented Nicaraguans in the U.S. were born in Nicaragua.^[6] In 1992 approximately 10–12% of the Nicaraguan population had emigrated. These emigrants tended to be disproportionately of working age, better educated, and more often white-collar workers than nonmigrants. In addition, emigrants were more likely to come from larger premigration households and higher income households.^[7]

Motives for emigration

During the 1979 uprising, many wealthy families left Nicaragua. The Sandinista revolution during the 1980s brought a wave of Nicaraguan refugees into the U.S.^[8] and the largest wave of documented immigrants. Over 62 percent of the total documented immigration from 1979 to 1988 occurred after 1984.^[7] Another motive for emigration during the 80s was the Contra war.

Many Nicaraguans who immigrated did so to escape poverty, in Santa Clara County, California, the Nicaraguan public benefits recipients reported that in their families, 43% have one self-employed person or business owner, and 14% of the families have two such persons.^[5]

However, nearly all of the estimated 200,000 Nicaraguans who fled to the U.S. (and other nearby Central American countries) between 1978–1979 returned after the victory of the Sandinistas in 1979.^[9]

J Smooth and Miss Nicaragua 2007, Xiomara Blandino celebrating La Feria Agostina, or the Nicaraguan Festival, in Los Angeles with up to 8,000 Nicaraguan Americans.

Demographics

As of the United States 2000 population census, the number of Nicaraguan Americans was 177,684. Approximately 83,533 males and 94,151 females. Of the population, about 76% was 18 or older and just 5% was 65 or older.^[1]

Approximately 68% of the Nicaraguan Americans that were 25 or older were high school graduates or higher and another 11% had received a bachelor's degree or higher. The number of Nicaraguan Americans who had received a bachelor's degree was higher than all other Central American groups in the United States, with the exception of Salvadorans who made up 655 thousand, compared to 177 thousand Nicaraguan Americans. The percentage of the population with a bachelor's degree is higher: 16% of Nicaraguan Americans compared to 5.5% of Salvadoran Americans.^[10]

Areas of greatest concentration

The largest concentration of Nicaraguan Americans, about 79,559, is mainly in the South Florida area (particularly Miami-Dade County), most notably around the "Little Managua" section of Little Havana. Sweetwater, Florida and its surrounding area also has a high concentration of Nicaraguan American, in 2000 16.63% of Sweetwater residents identified as being of Nicaraguan heritage.^[11] This was the highest percentage of Nicaraguan Americans of any place in the country. As a result, Sweetwater is also locally known as "Little Managua" after Managua, the Nicaraguan capital.^[1]

California hosts the second largest concentration, most notably in the metropolitan areas of Los Angeles and San Francisco. The number of Nicaraguan Americans living in California was 51,336 in 2000.^[1]

US communities with high percentages of people of Nicaraguan ancestry

The top 25 US communities with the highest percentage of people claiming Nicaraguan ancestry are:^[11]

Sweetwater, Florida 16.63% Fountainbleau, Florida 9.44% Miami, Florida 5.67% Hialeah Gardens, Florida 4.87% Tamiami, Florida 4.66% Kendale Lakes, Florida 4.59% Richmond West, Florida 4.19% Hialeah, Florida 4.07% West Little River, Florida 3.58% West Miami, Florida 2.98% Colma, California 2.94% University Park, Florida 2.89% The Hammocks, Florida 2.88%

South Miami Heights, Florida 2.79% Virginia Gardens, Florida 2.51% Kendall, Florida 2.48% Coral Terrace, Florida 2.27% Westchester, Florida 2.25% Opa-Locka, Florida 2.22% Carol City, Florida 2.20% Princeton, Florida 2.15% Miami Springs, Florida 2.06% Medley, Florida 2.00% Daly City, California 1.98% Olympia Heights, Florida 1.80%

U.S. communities with the most residents born in Nicaragua

Top 25 U.S. communities with the most residents born in Nicaragua are:^[12]

Sweetwater, FL 19.7% Canal Point, FL 12.4% Fountainbleau, FL 12.2% North Westside, FL 10.7% Miami, FL 7.2% Gladeview, FL 6.5% Rollingwood, CA 5.8% Hialeah, FL and Kendale Lakes, FL 5.6% Tamiami, FL 5.3% Kendall West, FL 5.1% Hialeah Gardens, FL 5.0% Richmond West, FL 4.7% Stacey Street, FL 4.6% Kendale Lakes-Lindgren Acres, FL 4.4%

West Little River, FL 4.1% West Miami, FL 3.9% Coral Terrace, FL 3.6% University Park, FL 3.5% Palmetto Estates, FL and Pinewood, FL 3.4% The Hammocks, FL and South Miami Heights, FL 3.3% Bayview-Montalvin, CA, Virginia Gardens, FL, and Medley, FL 3.2% Lely Resort, FL 3.1% Opa-locka, FL 3.0% The Crossings, FL 2.9% Naranja, FL and Miami Springs, FL 2.8% Kendall, FL 2.7%

Nicaraguan Americans

Main article: List of Nicaraguan Americans

• Patrick Argüello, participated in the Dawson's Field hijackings and is considered a martyr of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
• Marvin Benard, a Major League Baseball player
• Maurice Benard, an actor on American soap operas All My Children and General Hospital.
• Claudia Bermúdez, politician, ran for the United States Congress
• Randy Caballero, (born March 18, 1991 in Coachella, California) is an undefeated Nicaraguan American professional boxer in the Featherweight division
• Róger Calero, ran for U.S. President in the 2004 election.
• Oswaldo Castillo, actor, most notable role includes the one in The Hammer.
• Michael Cordúa (1961), restaurateur, entrepreneur, businessman, award winning self-taught chef.
• DJ Craze, only DJ in history to win 3 consecutive World DMC Champion titles.
• Salomón de la Selva, poet, author of Tropical Town and Other Poems
• Miguel D'Escoto, Roman Catholic priest and former foreign minister.
• Omar D'Leon, a painter and poet.
• Bill Guerin, an NHL hockey player for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
• Edward'O, an astronalyst and co-host of 12 Corazones.
• Bianca Jagger, human rights advocate and ex-wife of Mick Jagger.
• Diana López, Olympic bronze medalist in the sport of taekwondo.
• Mark López, Olympic silver medalist in the sport of taekwondo.
• Steven López, two time Olympic gold medalist in the sport of taekwondo.
• Dennis Martinez, a Major League Baseball Player (1976–1998).
• Camilo Mejía, a former Staff Sergeant of the Florida National Guard and anti-war activist
• Lester Meléndez (1981), professional soccer player for the University of Miami.
• T-Bone, rapper.
• Tony Meléndez, singer, composer, writer and musician who was born with no arms.
• Christianne Meneses Jacobs, publisher of Iguana, the United States' only Spanish-language magazine for children.^[13]
• Franck de Las Mercedes, a painter
• David Obregon, a professional boxer
• Claudia Poll, Nicaraguan born swimmer.
• Silvia Poll, Nicaraguan born swimmer.
• Horacio Peña, professor, writer, and poet.
• Hope Portocarrero, former First Lady of Nicaragua (1967–1972).
• James Quesada, anthropologist and professor.
• Mari Ramos, weather anchor for CNN.
• Hilda Solis, U.S. congresswoman and the 25th United States Secretary of Labor.
• Eve Torres, WWE Diva, professional wrestler
• J Smooth, a bi-lingual hip hop and reggaeton singer.
• Torombolo, a reggaeton singer.
• Gabriel Traversari, actor, director, writer, singer, songwriter and painter.
• Donald Vega, jazz musician and composer.
• Nastassja Bolivar, Nuestra Belleza Latina 2011 winner

See also

References and notes

1. ^ ^{a b c d} = "2005–2009 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". U.S. Census Bureau. 2010. http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=01000US&-ds_name=ACS_2009_5YR_G00_&-_lang=en&-redoLog=false&-mt_name=ACS_2009_5YR_G2000_B03001&-CONTEXT=dt =. Retrieved 2011-01-09. 
2. ^ The U.S. Census Bureau put the "Margin of Error" at +/-7,815
3. ^ ^{a b} Encyclopedia Latina: History, Culture, And Society In The United States, Book 3
4. ^ Orlov, Ann; Reed Veda (1980). "Central and South Americans," Harvard Encyclopedia of American Ethnic Groups. Harvard University Press. pp. 210–217. 
5. ^ ^{a b} "Context for Nicaraguan Immigration". http://www.immigrantinfo.org/kin/nicaragua.htm. Retrieved 2007-05-24. 
6. ^ "1990 U.S. Census". U.S. Census Bureau. 1990. http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen1990.html. Retrieved 2007-05-24. 
7. ^ ^{a b} Funkhouser, Edward (1992). Migration from Nicaragua: Some Recent Evidence. pp. 1210. 
8. ^ H. Lundquist, Jennifer; Douglas S. Massey (2005). [n The Contra War and Nicaraguan Migration to the United States]. pp. 29–53. n. Retrieved 2007-05-24. 
9. ^ Y. Hamamoto, Darrell; Rodolfo D. Torres (1997). New American Destinies: A Reader in Contemporary Asian and Latino Immigration. Routledge. pp. 108. ISBN 0415917689. 
10. ^ "Demographic Profile Highlights:". U.S. Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFIteratedFacts?_event=&geo_id=01000US&_geoContext=01000US&_street=&_county=&_cityTown=&_state=&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&_submenuId=factsheet_2&ds_name=DEC_2000_SAFF&_ci_nbr=412&qr_name=DEC_2000_SAFF_R1010®=DEC_2000_SAFF_R1010%3A412&_keyword=&_industry=. Retrieved 2007-11-18. 
11. ^ ^{a b} "Ancestry Map of Nicaraguan Communities". Epodunk.com. http://www.epodunk.com/ancestry/Nicaraguan.html. Retrieved 2007-07-31. 
12. ^ "Top 101 cities with the most residents born in Nicaragua (population 500+)". city-data.com. http://www.city-data.com/top2/h147.html. Retrieved 2008-07-31. 
13. ^ Sowers, Carol. "Children's magazine creator receives entrepreneur award". The Arizona Republic. http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/articles/0927biz-iguana0927.html. Retrieved 2007-09-27. 

External links

• Historical Museum Folklife of Miami's Nicaraguan Communities