ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author outlines the historical evolution of racism, slavery, colonialism, and economic exploitation in Puerto Rico. He makes references to the pivotal role of American capital and the US government in the economic underdevelopment of the Puerto Rican nation, in the suppression of civil liberties and human rights, and in the exploitation of the Rican national minority within the United States. As the great-grandson of a slave, the author addresses the special sense of solidarity he feels toward the Puerto Rican demand for independence, justice, and self-determination. It is still claimed by American politicians and colonial bureaucrats that Puerto Rico is an example of true participatory democracy for the Caribbean and Latin America. Of all Americans who sympathize with the goals of the Puerto Rican independence movement, perhaps the African-American community shares the deepest sense of solidarity.
