African American Studies Commons^™

Rodriguez, Felix, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Felix Rodriguez (b. 7/9/1967) is a New York-born filmmaker. Both his parents are Puerto Rican. Rodriguez was born in East Harlem and was raised for the first 10 years of his life in Queens. At this time, his parents moved back to Puerto Rico, where Felix attended junior high and high school. Because his first language was English, Rodriguez had to pick up Spanish in Puerto Rico. His primary occupation in Puerto Rico was as an attendant for his father’s livestock, a job that he hated. Puerto Rico was constantly being inundated with American popular culture, and soon enough Felix …

De La Luz, Caridad, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Interviewee: Caridad de la Luz, a.k.a. La Bruja

Interviewer: Oneka LaBennet

Date of Interview: October 23, 2007

Summarized by Alice Stryker

La Luz’s parents came from Puerto Rico and lived in New York city, where they met. She was born in the Bronx in 1973 and has lived in the Bronx her entire life. She spent most of her childhood living on Leland Avenue, which was racially mixed. Her father was a mechanic for Volkswagen and her mother was a teacher at Murry Bertgraum High School. She went to P.S. 100 for grade school and P.S. 71 for Junior High …

Rosario, Edward, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Edward Rosario grew up in the Hunt’s Point section of the Bronx. He and his family moved to the Bronx from east Harlem when Edward was very young. His family is originally from Puerto Rico and moved toNew Yorkin 1928. He essentially grew up without his father, who was a successful printer. Because of this, the family was on welfare.

The first building he remembers living, which was located between 156^th street and Dawson avenue, in was very well kept and clean. The neighborhood was mixed. PS 39, his grade school, was also mixed. He describes in detail a …