Latin America

Philadelphia’s connection to the Americas spans centuries. More than 200 years ago, brisk trade flourished between Philadelphia, Cuba, and the Anglophone Caribbean. As early as 1923, a survey identified a “Spanish Colony” in Philadelphia, consisting of Spanish-speaking immigrants from Latin America, the Caribbean, and Spain. The connection between Philadelphia and its southern neighbors has grown throughout the last century due largely to U.S. political involvements, trade and labor relations, and changing immigration laws.