Seventh Annual
C
of
I
S
T
U
D
E
N
T
R
E
S
E
A
R
C
H
C
O
N
F
E
R
E
N
C
E
2012 Archive
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Author(s): Sarah Higgins
Presentation: oral
As people emigrate from their home country to a new host country, traditions and cultural norms are often lost. Cuban immigrants, however, have historically maintained strong ties to their cultural heritage and systems. This paper examines the political exiles that fled from Cuba under Fidel Castro's rule during the late 1950's. Despite the hope that they may someday return to Cuba, these immigrants assimilated successfully into America while remaining distinctly Cuban in identity. I explored the struggle many Cuban youth endured while attempting to assimilate to American society by studying first person accounts of their experiences recorded in short stories, journal entries, and poems. Through examination of the self-identification of these exiles within the US we are able to understand the Cuban identity in relation to 20th century American politics and culture.
The College of Idaho 2112 Cleveland Blvd Caldwell, ID 8360 USA 208-459-5011 800-2C-IDAHO