As one might imagine, understanding the first wave of Cuban exiles which entered into the U.S. necessitates a basic grasp of the clashing political ideologies between the two nations. The Marxist tendencies of Castro’s regime, being firmly cemented by the early-1960s, pitted Cuba against the United States in the much larger conflict concerning socialism and liberalism. That said, the efforts on behalf of the United States to provide asylum were undoubtedly fueled by this conflict and the extensive efforts for relief seemingly affirm this notion.
William Mitchell ca. 1960
Outlining the various social programs installed to handle the influx of Cuban exiles, William L. Mitchell (commissioner of the Social Security Administration from 1959 to 1962) penned a bulletin in March of 1962 describing both the nature of Cuban immigration and also the relief plan thus far. Descriptions of typical refugee’s economic state, provisions for relief centers in Miami, and even the waiving of visas were all topics touched on by Mitchell’s bulletin. However, perhaps the most interesting information mentioned was the description of the Cuban exiles’ demography. Mitchell concludes that:
By and large, the refugees from Cuba are well-educated men and women. They come from every walk of life. More than a third of those heading a family had been in a professional, semiprofessional, or managerial occupations… Fewer than a fourth had no special skills or were semiskilled workers.
From the quote above, and the bulletin as a whole, it is apparent that the majority of the initial Cuban exiles – despite their lack of funds and necessities in some cases – possessed a decent education and functioned as professionals prior to their forced exile.While the bulletin cannot be entirely accurate, as it was an internal document which relied on information gathered through refugee centers – obviously not all exiles went through these channels – it still provides some insight into the initial refugee population and their above average status in Cuba. This assertion is strengthened by the research of Kelly Woltman and K. Bruce Newbold in their Professional Geographer article “Of Flights and Flotillas: Assimilation and Race in the Cuban Diaspora“. They state that the initial refugees from 1959-1964 (coined the “Golden Exiles”) were, in fact, educated if not outright wealthy. Simply put, the nearby state of Florida was deemed the most suitable destination for Cubans of above-average means who were opposed to Castro’s regime. Moreover, these relatively wealthy immigrants were able to establish various economic and social networks in southern Florida. This would provide future waves of Cuban immigrants resources, and ultimately, create a clear destination for subsequent migrants.
In essence, this first wave of Cuban immigration into the U.S. provides an interesting narrative involving both refugee aid efforts by the United States and the establishment of an immigration hub by successful Cuban exiles. Furthermore, the experiences and outcomes of the “Golden Exiles” provides an interesting case study for understanding the nature of political exile and the establishment of key immigration locations.
– Ben Vorderstrasse
Cuban refugees in Miami International Airport (1961)