By Nelson A. Denis
The Puerto Rican Day Parade
has a dark secret.
It has nothing to do with
celebrities, rich corporations, or slick politicians.
It is a deep mystery, from
the heart and history of Puerto Rico, which explains the whole parade.
Seventy years ago, Boricuas
were given the worst jobs and housing in New York City. They were also beaten
by their neighbors and the NYPD.
And yet in 1958, some brave
Boricuas dared to hold a humble parade where they could march with pride,
arm-in-arm, through the heart of Manhattan.
Mothers clapped their
hands…to the bombas and plenas of their childhood.
Fathers schooled their
children…explaining the floats dedicated to Puerto Rican towns known for sugar
cane, tobacco, coffee, pineapples and plantains.
The Puerto Rican pride
spread rapidly.
By 1966, the parade was
already a “must do” event for politicians and celebrities.
Today, the parade is a celebrity
spectacle with 2 million spectators, 100,000 marchers, and a stampede of
corporate sponsors.
Rita Moreno, Ricky Martin,
Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Hillary Clinton and Mayor Bloomberg have all
“starred” in it.
But even as “The Parade” has
become one of the nation’s largest outdoor celebrations, there is a secret
that few people suspect…
A secret that reaches
into the heart of every Puerto Rican, without their even knowing it.
It is the secret of the
Puerto Rican flag.
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