Dominican American
Encyclopedia
A Dominican American is any American
who has origins in the Dominican Republic
.
Immigration records of Dominicans in the United States
date from the late 19th century, and New York City
has had a Dominican community since the 1930s. From the 1960s onward, after the fall of the Rafael Trujillo military regime, large waves of migration have thoroughly transnationalized the Dominican Republic, metaphorically blurring its frontier with the United States. In 2010, there were approximately 1.41 million people of Dominican descent in the US, inclusive both native and foreign-born.
, the Miami area, Philadelphia, Providence, Rhode Island
, and Boston, Massachusetts. Smaller waves of Dominicans have gone to the metropolitan areas of Chicago, Illinois; Washington, D.C.
; Houston, Texas
; Los Angeles, California
; Portland, Oregon
; Kansas City, Missouri
; Orlando, Florida
; Buffalo, New York
; and New Orleans, Louisiana
. The Dominican population has similar settlement patterns to that of the Puerto Rican population.
majority, Stateside Puerto Ricans
, Cuban American
s, and Salvadoran American
s.
As of 2010, the five largest concentrations of Dominican Americans are in New York
(674,787), New Jersey
(197,922), Florida
(172,451), Massachusetts
(103,292), and Pennsylvania
(62,348). Boston is the only major city where Dominicans are the largest hispanic group, also Rhode Island
is the only state where Dominicans are the largest hispanic group. The 2010 Census estimated the nationwide Dominican American population at 1,414,703.
Since 1980, the Census Bureau has asked U.S. residents
to classify their race separately from their Hispanic or Latino origin, if any. In 2010, 29.6% of Dominican Americans responded that they were white, while 12.9% considered themselves black. A plurality of 57.5% chose the category 'Other race'. The prevalence of the 'other race' category probably reflects the large number of people of mixed African
and European
ancestry in the Dominican Republic, where 73% of the population are of mixed African and European descent, commonly known as mulato
. Many are triracial, however, having also Taíno
Native American
ancestry.
Of places with 500 or more residents born in the Dominican Republic, the ten with the highest percentages are:
, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. Dr. Eduardo J. Sanchez was the Commissioner of Health for the state of Texas
from 2001 to 2006, and New York Secretary of State Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
, of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent, has held her post since 2007.
The electoral participation of Dominicans in the United States may improve as a result of the 1994 approval of dual citizenship by the Dominican legislature
, which makes it easier for migrants to become U.S. citizens without relinquishing their Dominican nationality. A 1997 Dominican law, which took effect in 2004, allows Dominicans living abroad to retain their Dominican citizenship and voting rights, even if they become citizens of another country. Traditionally, Dominicans living in the United States are passionately involved in politics "back home", but unlike other Hispanic or Latino national groups, such as Cuban Americans and Mexican Americans, Dominican Americans are not as inclined to take an active part in U.S. politics
, partly because many dream of eventually returning back to their home country.
and bachata. Bachata, as well as reggaeton
, has become popular among many Dominican American youth, as have house
, salsa
, rock
, hip hop
, and other genres.
drew on his life and the Dominican American experience generally in authoring Drown and The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
, the latter of which won him the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
in 2008 and made him the first Dominican American and the second Hispanic or Latino American in history to win the Pulitzer Prize
. Julia Alvarez
is the nationally-recognized author of In the Time of the Butterflies
and How the García Girls Lost Their Accents
. Nelly Rosario
, born in the Dominican Republic and raised in New York City, also won critical acclaim for her debut novel Song of the Water Saints.
financial analyst in the Specialty Retailing category by Forbes
in 2006.
is one of the most recognized names in the fashion industry.
was an actress in 1940s Hollywood. Zoe Saldana
, a star of the movie Avatar, is an actress born in New Jersey to a Dominican father and Puerto Rican mother. Michelle Rodriguez
, born of a Dominican mother and a Puerto Rican
father, is known for her roles in the television series Lost
and the movies The Fast and the Furious
, S.W.A.T.
, and Resident Evil
. Dania Ramirez
is known for playing Callisto
in X-Men: The Last Stand
, Sadie in Quarantine
, Alex in Entourage
, and Maya Herrera
in Heroes
. Merlin Santana
was a New Yorker whose most notable role was as Romeo on The Steve Harvey Show
. Carlos De La Mota, born in New York to Dominican parents and raised in La Vega
, and José Guillermo Cortines
are popular telenovela
actors who often work stateside. Claudette Lali
is a former model turned actress also born in New York and raised in the Dominican Republic. Charytín
is an actress, singer, dancer, and television host who has been a longtime fixture in the US Hispanic/Latino media. Tina Aumont
, Miguel A. Nuñez, Karen Olivo
(a Tony Award
-winner), Victor Rasuk
, Judy Reyes
, and Tristan Wilds
also have Dominican origin.
, the first Dominican American elected in the United States, as former New York City Council Member; Marcos Devers, the first Dominican American mayor in the U.S., who was appointed as Acting Mayor of Lawrence, Massachusetts
; Passaic, New Jersey
mayor Dr. Alex D. Blanco, the first Dominican American mayor ever elected in the United States; the first Dominican American New York County Supreme Court Judge Rolando T. Acosta; Camelia Valdes, the first Dominican American to become a head Prosecutor or District Attorney
in U.S. history; Adriano Espaillat
and Grace Diaz
, respectively the first Dominican American person and the first Dominican American female to be elected to a state legislature in the United States; Juan Pichardo, Rhode Island
State Senator, the first Dominican American to be elected State Senator in the United States. President Barack Obama
made his first major Dominican American appointment on March 13, 2009 when he nominated Thomas E. Perez to be Assistant Attorney General
for Civil Rights. Perez was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on October 6, 2009. Angel Taveras
, mayor of Providence, Rhode Island
, is the first Hispanic mayor of the city, the third elected, and the fourth serving Dominican American mayor in the United States.
singer; Fuego
Merengue singer, Ralph Mercado
, founder of RMM Records and music producer; Johnny Pacheco
, singer, godfather of New York salsa; Karina Pasian
, singer and pianist; Proyecto Uno
, merengue hip-hop group; Anthony Santos
, singer and songwriter; Rosanna Tavarez
, singer and television host.
, New York-born, is the most well-known Dominican American in this field. He is the highest-paid player in Major League Baseball
(MLB), and one of the most famous athletes in the United States. The larger portion of MLB players of Dominican origin immigrated from the Dominican Republic, number in the hundreds, and count among them Pedro Martínez
, David Ortiz
, Albert Pujols
, Manny Ramírez
, and Hall of Fame
member Juan Marichal
. Some of them have obtained US citizenship. Dominican natives Felipe Alou and Tony Peña
were managers
, and Omar Minaya
is a general manager
in MLB. Basketball has seen the likes of Felipe Lopez
, Francisco Garcia
, and Al Horford
, all originally from the Dominican Republic, and Charlie Villanueva
from New York. In the National Football League
(NFL) there are Luis Castillo and Tutan Reyes
.
, sexologist and talk show host in Spanish-language media; Susie Castillo
, Miss USA
2003; Mary Joe Fernández
, a tennis player and television commentator; Providencia Paredes
, an assistant and confidante to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
; and Ilka Tanya Payan
, an AIDS/HIV activist, actress, and attorney.
People of the United States
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
who has origins in the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
.
Immigration records of Dominicans in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
date from the late 19th century, and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
has had a Dominican community since the 1930s. From the 1960s onward, after the fall of the Rafael Trujillo military regime, large waves of migration have thoroughly transnationalized the Dominican Republic, metaphorically blurring its frontier with the United States. In 2010, there were approximately 1.41 million people of Dominican descent in the US, inclusive both native and foreign-born.
History
Other Dominican communities are found in New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, the Miami area, Philadelphia, Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, and Boston, Massachusetts. Smaller waves of Dominicans have gone to the metropolitan areas of Chicago, Illinois; Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
; Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
; Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
; Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
; Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
; Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
; Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
; and New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. The Dominican population has similar settlement patterns to that of the Puerto Rican population.
Demographics
Almost half of all the Dominican Americans today have arrived since the 1990s, especially in the early part of the decade. There has been another surge of immigration in recent years as immigration from Mexico has declined, allowing more backlogged Dominican applicants to obtain legal residence. Dominican Americans are the fifth-largest Hispanic or Latino American group, after the Mexican AmericanMexican American
Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican descent. As of July 2009, Mexican Americans make up 10.3% of the United States' population with over 31,689,000 Americans listed as of Mexican ancestry. Mexican Americans comprise 66% of all Hispanics and Latinos in the United States...
majority, Stateside Puerto Ricans
Puerto Ricans in the United States
Stateside Puerto Ricans are American citizens of Puerto Rican origin, including those who migrated from Puerto Rico to the United States and those who were born outside of Puerto Rico in the United States...
, Cuban American
Cuban American
A Cuban American is a United States citizen who traces his or her "national origin" to Cuba. Cuban Americans are also considered native born Americans with Cuban parents or Cuban-born persons who were raised and educated in US...
s, and Salvadoran American
Salvadoran American
Salvadorian Americans are citizens or residents of the United States of Salvadoran descent. As of 2010 there are 1.6 million Salvadoran Americans in the United States, the fourth-largest Hispanic community by nation of ancestry.They are also known as the nicknamed Salvi people in the USA,...
s.
As of 2010, the five largest concentrations of Dominican Americans are in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
(674,787), New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
(197,922), Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
(172,451), Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
(103,292), and Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
(62,348). Boston is the only major city where Dominicans are the largest hispanic group, also Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
is the only state where Dominicans are the largest hispanic group. The 2010 Census estimated the nationwide Dominican American population at 1,414,703.
Since 1980, the Census Bureau has asked U.S. residents
Demographics of the United States
As of today's date, the United States has a total resident population of , making it the third most populous country in the world. It is a very urbanized population, with 82% residing in cities and suburbs as of 2008 . This leaves vast expanses of the country nearly uninhabited...
to classify their race separately from their Hispanic or Latino origin, if any. In 2010, 29.6% of Dominican Americans responded that they were white, while 12.9% considered themselves black. A plurality of 57.5% chose the category 'Other race'. The prevalence of the 'other race' category probably reflects the large number of people of mixed African
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
and European
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
ancestry in the Dominican Republic, where 73% of the population are of mixed African and European descent, commonly known as mulato
Mulatto
Mulatto denotes a person with one white parent and one black parent, or more broadly, a person of mixed black and white ancestry. Contemporary usage of the term varies greatly, and the broader sense of the term makes its application rather subjective, as not all people of mixed white and black...
. Many are triracial, however, having also Taíno
Taíno people
The Taínos were pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles. It is thought that the seafaring Taínos are relatives of the Arawak people of South America...
Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
ancestry.
Distribution
The top 10 US communities with the highest percentages of people claiming Dominican ancestry are:- Haverstraw (village), New YorkHaverstraw (village), New YorkHaverstraw is a village in the town of Haverstraw in Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Congers; southeast of West Haverstraw; east of Garnerville, New York; northeast of New City and west of the Hudson River at its widest point...
26.95% - Lawrence, MassachusettsLawrence, MassachusettsLawrence is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States on the Merrimack River. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a total population of 76,377. Surrounding communities include Methuen to the north, Andover to the southwest, and North Andover to the southeast. It and Salem are...
22.47% - Perth Amboy, New JerseyPerth Amboy, New JerseyPerth Amboy is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. The City of Perth Amboy is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 50,814. Perth Amboy is known as the "City by the Bay", referring to Raritan Bay.-Name:The Lenape...
18.81% - Bronx, New York 13.25
- Passaic, New JerseyPassaic, New JerseyPassaic is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 69,781, maintaining its status as the 15th largest municipality in New Jersey with an increase of 1,920 residents from the 2000 Census population of 67,861...
13.06% - Sleepy Hollow, New YorkSleepy Hollow, New YorkSleepy Hollow is a village in the town of Mount Pleasant in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, about north of midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by the Philipse Manor stop on the Metro-North Hudson Line.Originally...
12.67% - Union City, New JerseyUnion City, New JerseyUnion City is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. According to the 2010 United States Census the city had a total population of 66,455. All of the city is on land, an area of...
11.46% - Haverstraw (town), New YorkHaverstraw (town), New YorkHaverstraw is a town in Rockland County, New York, United States located north of the Town of Clarkstown and the Town of Ramapo; east of Orange County, New York; south of the Town of Stony Point and west of the Hudson River. The town runs from the west to the east border of the county in its...
11.37% - Paterson, New JerseyPaterson, New JerseyPaterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
10.29% - Manhattan, New York 8.90%
Of places with 500 or more residents born in the Dominican Republic, the ten with the highest percentages are:
- Haverstraw, New YorkHaverstraw, New YorkHaverstraw is the name of two locations in Rockland County, New York:*Haverstraw, New York, a town*Haverstraw , New York, a village located entirely within the townIt may also refer to:*West Haverstraw, New York*Haverstraw Bay*Haverstraw Indians...
22.6% - Lawrence, MassachusettsLawrence, MassachusettsLawrence is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States on the Merrimack River. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a total population of 76,377. Surrounding communities include Methuen to the north, Andover to the southwest, and North Andover to the southeast. It and Salem are...
21.4% - Perth Amboy, New JerseyPerth Amboy, New JerseyPerth Amboy is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. The City of Perth Amboy is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 50,814. Perth Amboy is known as the "City by the Bay", referring to Raritan Bay.-Name:The Lenape...
16.4% - Sleepy Hollow, New YorkSleepy Hollow, New YorkSleepy Hollow is a village in the town of Mount Pleasant in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, about north of midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by the Philipse Manor stop on the Metro-North Hudson Line.Originally...
14.9% - Passaic, New JerseyPassaic, New JerseyPassaic is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 69,781, maintaining its status as the 15th largest municipality in New Jersey with an increase of 1,920 residents from the 2000 Census population of 67,861...
12.5% - Union City, New JerseyUnion City, New JerseyUnion City is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. According to the 2010 United States Census the city had a total population of 66,455. All of the city is on land, an area of...
10.9% - Paterson, New JerseyPaterson, New JerseyPaterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
9.6% - Bronx, New York 9.2%
- Fort Devens, MassachusettsFort Devens, MassachusettsDevens, Massachusetts is an unincorporated village and census-designated place in the towns of Ayer and Shirley, in Middlesex County and Harvard in Worcester County in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. It is the successor to Fort Devens, a military post that operated from 1917 to 1996. The area...
8.7% - Manhattan, New York 8.2%
Adjustment and development
A significant number of Dominican Americans are young, first generation immigrants without a higher education, since many hailed from the Dominican rural countryside. Second generation Dominican Americans are overwhelmingly more educated than their first generation counterparts, a condition reflected in their higher incomes and employment in professional or skilled occupations. Over 21% of all second-generation Dominican Americans have college degrees, slightly below the average for all Americans (24%) but significantly higher than U.S.-born Mexican Americans (14%) and U.S.-born Puerto Rican Americans (9%).Participation in U.S. politics
Over two dozen Dominican Americans are elected local or state legislators, mayors or other in New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, MarylandMaryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. Dr. Eduardo J. Sanchez was the Commissioner of Health for the state of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
from 2001 to 2006, and New York Secretary of State Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
Lorraine A. Cortés-Vázquez was the 65th Secretary of State of New York, serving in the Cabinet of Governor David Paterson. She originally served in the Cabinet of former Governor Eliot Spitzer and remained in office following Paterson's taking over the governorship on March 17, 2008...
, of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent, has held her post since 2007.
The electoral participation of Dominicans in the United States may improve as a result of the 1994 approval of dual citizenship by the Dominican legislature
Congress of the Dominican Republic
The Congress of the Dominican Republic is the bicameral legislature of the government of the Dominican Republic, consisting of two houses, the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. Both senators and deputies are chosen through direct election...
, which makes it easier for migrants to become U.S. citizens without relinquishing their Dominican nationality. A 1997 Dominican law, which took effect in 2004, allows Dominicans living abroad to retain their Dominican citizenship and voting rights, even if they become citizens of another country. Traditionally, Dominicans living in the United States are passionately involved in politics "back home", but unlike other Hispanic or Latino national groups, such as Cuban Americans and Mexican Americans, Dominican Americans are not as inclined to take an active part in U.S. politics
Politics of the United States
The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States , Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments.The executive branch is headed by the President...
, partly because many dream of eventually returning back to their home country.
Music
Dominican music includes above all merengueMerengue music
Merengue is a type of music and dance from the Dominican Republic. It is popular in the Dominican Republic and all over Latin America. Its name is Spanish, taken from the name of the meringue, a dessert made from whipped egg whites and sugar...
and bachata. Bachata, as well as reggaeton
Reggaeton
Reggaeton is a form of Puerto Rican and Latin American urban and Caribbean music. After its mainstream exposure in 2004, it spread to North American, European and Asian audiences. Reggaeton originated in Puerto Rico but is also has roots from Reggae en Español from Panama and Puerto Rico and...
, has become popular among many Dominican American youth, as have house
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
, salsa
Salsa music
Salsa music is a genre of music, generally defined as a modern style of playing Cuban Son, Son Montuno, and Guaracha with touches from other genres of music...
, rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
, and other genres.
Notable Dominican Americans
Arts and literature
Junot DiazJunot Díaz
Junot Díaz is a Dominican-American writer and creative writing professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology . Central to Díaz's work is the immigrant experience...
drew on his life and the Dominican American experience generally in authoring Drown and The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is a best-selling novel written by Dominican author Junot Díaz. Although a work of fiction, the novel is set in New Jersey where Díaz was raised and deals explicitly with his ancestral homeland's experience under dictator Rafael Trujillo...
, the latter of which won him the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction has been awarded for distinguished fiction by an American author, preferably dealing with American life. It originated as the Pulitzer Prize for the Novel, which was awarded between 1918 and 1947.-1910s:...
in 2008 and made him the first Dominican American and the second Hispanic or Latino American in history to win the Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
. Julia Alvarez
Julia Álvarez
Julia Alvarez is a Dominican-American poet, novelist, and essayist. Born in New York of Dominican descent, she spent the first ten years of her childhood in the Dominican Republic, until her father's involvement in a political rebellion forced her family to flee the country.Alvarez rose to...
is the nationally-recognized author of In the Time of the Butterflies
In the Time of the Butterflies
In the Time of the Butterflies is a historical novel by Julia Alvarez, relating an account of the Mirabal sisters during the time of the Trujillo regime in the Dominican Republic. The book is written in the first and third person, by and about the Mirabal sisters...
and How the García Girls Lost Their Accents
How the García Girls Lost Their Accents
How the García Girls Lost Their Accents is a 1991 novel written by Dominican-American poet, novelist, and essayist Julia Alvarez. Told in reverse chronological order and narrated from shifting perspectives, the text possesses distinct qualities of a bildungsroman novel...
. Nelly Rosario
Nelly Rosario
Nelly Rosario is a Dominican American novelist and creative writing instructor in the MFA Program at Texas State University in San Marcos....
, born in the Dominican Republic and raised in New York City, also won critical acclaim for her debut novel Song of the Water Saints.
Business
Dominican Americans have increasingly made a presence in the financial industry. Cid Wilson was ranked #1 Wall StreetWall Street
Wall Street refers to the financial district of New York City, named after and centered on the eight-block-long street running from Broadway to South Street on the East River in Lower Manhattan. Over time, the term has become a metonym for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, or...
financial analyst in the Specialty Retailing category by Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
in 2006.
Fashion and design
Designer Oscar de la RentaOscar de la Renta
Oscar de la Renta is one of the world's leading fashion designers. He was named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1973.-Career:...
is one of the most recognized names in the fashion industry.
Film, stage, and television
María MontezMaría Montez
María Montez was a Dominican-born motion picture actress who gained fame and popularity in the 1940s as an exotic beauty starring in a series of filmed-in-Technicolor costume adventure films. Her screen image was that of a hot-blooded Latin seductress, dressed in fanciful costumes and sparkling...
was an actress in 1940s Hollywood. Zoe Saldana
Zoe Saldana
Zoe Saldana , sometimes stylized Zoë Saldaña, is an American actress. She had her breakthrough role in the 2000 film Center Stage and later gained prominence for her roles as Anamaria in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and Uhura in the 2009 film Star Trek, and a starring role...
, a star of the movie Avatar, is an actress born in New Jersey to a Dominican father and Puerto Rican mother. Michelle Rodriguez
Michelle Rodriguez
Mayte Michelle Rodríguez , known professionally as Michelle Rodriguez, is an American actress. Following on from her breakthrough role in 2000's Girlfight, she is best known for playing tough-girl roles and starring in Hollywood blockbusters such as The Fast and the Furious, Resident Evil,...
, born of a Dominican mother and a Puerto Rican
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
father, is known for her roles in the television series Lost
Lost (TV series)
Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
and the movies The Fast and the Furious
The Fast and the Furious (2001 film)
The Fast and the Furious is a 2001 street racing action film starring Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster. Directed by Rob Cohen, The Fast and the Furious was the first mainstream film to feature the Asian automotive import scene in North America. It is the first film...
, S.W.A.T.
S.W.A.T. (film)
S.W.A.T. is a 2003 action-crime film directed by Clark Johnson, and is based on the 1975 television series of the same name. It stars Samuel L. Jackson, Colin Farrell, LL Cool J and Michelle Rodriguez. It was produced by Neal H...
, and Resident Evil
Resident Evil (film)
Resident Evil is a British-German 2002 horror film written and directed by Paul W.S. Anderson. The film stars Milla Jovovich, Michelle Rodriguez, Eric Mabius, and James Purefoy...
. Dania Ramirez
Dania Ramirez
Dania Ramirez is a Dominican-American TV and film actress.She is most recently known for playing Alex in Entourage, Maya Herrera in Heroes and Blanca during the last season of The Sopranos. She also played antagonist Callisto in X-Men: The Last Stand.-Early life:Ramirez was born in Santo Domingo,...
is known for playing Callisto
Callisto (comics)
Callisto is a Marvel Comics fictional character, associated with the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Paul Smith, she first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #169 ....
in X-Men: The Last Stand
X-Men: The Last Stand
X-Men: The Last Stand is a 2006 superhero film and the third in the X-Men series. It was directed by Brett Ratner and stars an ensemble cast including Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Famke Janssen, Kelsey Grammer, Anna Paquin, Shawn Ashmore, Aaron Stanford, Vinnie Jones,...
, Sadie in Quarantine
Quarantine (film)
Quarantine is a 2008 American horror film, directed by John Erick Dowdle and starring Jennifer Carpenter, Jay Hernandez, Columbus Short, Steve Harris, Rade Šerbedžija, Greg Germann, Bernard White, and Johnathon Schaech. The film is a remake of the Spanish horror film REC with a few exceptions such...
, Alex in Entourage
Entourage (TV series)
Entourage is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on July 18, 2004 and concluded on September 11, 2011, after eight seasons...
, and Maya Herrera
Maya Herrera
Maya Herrera is a fictional character in the NBC drama Heroes, portrayed by Dania Ramirez. Her first on-screen appearance was in the episode "Four Months Later...", though the character was featured earlier in the graphic novel "Maya y Alejandro"....
in Heroes
Heroes (TV series)
Heroes is an American science fiction television drama series created by Tim Kring that appeared on NBC for four seasons from September 25, 2006 through February 8, 2010. The series tells the stories of ordinary people who discover superhuman abilities, and how these abilities take effect in the...
. Merlin Santana
Merlin Santana
Merlin Santana was an American actor and rapper. He is best known for his role as Keshia Knight Pulliam's admirer, Stanley on The Cosby Show and the high school student, Romeo Santana on The WB sitcom, The Steve Harvey Show.-Early life:Born in Upper Manhattan, New York to Dominican parents,...
was a New Yorker whose most notable role was as Romeo on The Steve Harvey Show
The Steve Harvey Show
The Steve Harvey Show is an American sitcom that aired for six seasons from August 25, 1996 to February 17, 2002 on The WB Television Network. It was created by Winifred Hervey and directed by Stan Lathan.-Synopsis:...
. Carlos De La Mota, born in New York to Dominican parents and raised in La Vega
La Vega
La Vega is a province of the Dominican Republic. Until 1992 it included what is now Monseñor Nouel province.-Municipalities and municipal districts:...
, and José Guillermo Cortines
José Guillermo Cortines
José Guillermo Cortines is a Dominican actor and singer who is involved in films, telenovelas, musical theatre and television. He currently lives in Miami and is better known for his role as Mauricio Montiel from the Telemundo's "El Rostro de Analía" and for his role of Osvaldo Guerra in the...
are popular telenovela
Telenovela
A telenovela is a limited-run serial dramatic programming popular in Latin American, Portuguese, and Spanish television programming. The word combines tele, short for televisión or televisão , and novela, a Spanish or Portuguese word for "novel"...
actors who often work stateside. Claudette Lali
Claudette Lali
Claudette Lali is a Dominican-American former model and wardrobe stylist turned actress.-Early life:Lali was born in New York City. She was raised in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic until the age of 14.-Career:...
is a former model turned actress also born in New York and raised in the Dominican Republic. Charytín
Charytin
Charytín Goyco , better known in the show business plainly as Charytín, is a singer, television presenter and actress from the Dominican Republic...
is an actress, singer, dancer, and television host who has been a longtime fixture in the US Hispanic/Latino media. Tina Aumont
Tina Aumont
Maria Christina Aumont , best known as Tina Aumont, was an American actress.She was of French Jewish and Dominican descent....
, Miguel A. Nuñez, Karen Olivo
Karen Olivo
Karen Olivo is a stage and television actress, who is known for originating the role of Vanessa in the Tony Award–winning musical In the Heights both on and off Broadway. She won her Tony Award for her performance as Anita in the revival of West Side Story...
(a Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
-winner), Victor Rasuk
Victor Rasuk
Victor Rasuk is an American actor.Rasuk was born in Harlem, New York to Dominican parents. He has one brother, Silvestre, with whom he starred in Raising Victor Vargas....
, Judy Reyes
Judy Reyes
Judy Reyes is an American actress of Dominican heritage. She is best known for her portrayal of nurse Carla Espinosa on the TV comedy Scrubs.-Early life:...
, and Tristan Wilds
Tristan Wilds
Tristan Paul Mack Wilds is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Michael Lee on the HBO original drama series The Wire and as Dixon Wilson on the CW drama series 90210.-Life and career:...
also have Dominican origin.
Government and politics
Also increasing is the Dominican American profile in government and politics. Milestones along the way have been marked, among others, by Guillermo LinaresGuillermo Linares
Guillermo Linares is a Democratic member of the New York State Assembly, representing the 72nd Assembly District in Manhattan. He is a former New York City councilman and a former New York City Commissioner of Immigrant Affairs.-Life and education:...
, the first Dominican American elected in the United States, as former New York City Council Member; Marcos Devers, the first Dominican American mayor in the U.S., who was appointed as Acting Mayor of Lawrence, Massachusetts
Lawrence, Massachusetts
Lawrence is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States on the Merrimack River. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a total population of 76,377. Surrounding communities include Methuen to the north, Andover to the southwest, and North Andover to the southeast. It and Salem are...
; Passaic, New Jersey
Passaic, New Jersey
Passaic is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 69,781, maintaining its status as the 15th largest municipality in New Jersey with an increase of 1,920 residents from the 2000 Census population of 67,861...
mayor Dr. Alex D. Blanco, the first Dominican American mayor ever elected in the United States; the first Dominican American New York County Supreme Court Judge Rolando T. Acosta; Camelia Valdes, the first Dominican American to become a head Prosecutor or District Attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
in U.S. history; Adriano Espaillat
Adriano Espaillat
Adriano Espaillat is currently a member of the New York State Senate and formerly of the New York State Assembly.Espaillat graduated from Bishop Dubois High School in 1974 and earned his B.S. degree in political science at Queens College in 1978...
and Grace Diaz
Grace Diaz
Grace Diaz is an American politician who is a Democratic State Representative from Rhode Island representing District 11 in the city of Providence, Rhode Island. She was the first Dominican-American woman elected to state office in the history of the United States of America.Diaz is an alumna of...
, respectively the first Dominican American person and the first Dominican American female to be elected to a state legislature in the United States; Juan Pichardo, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
State Senator, the first Dominican American to be elected State Senator in the United States. President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
made his first major Dominican American appointment on March 13, 2009 when he nominated Thomas E. Perez to be Assistant Attorney General
United States Attorney General
The United States Attorney General is the head of the United States Department of Justice concerned with legal affairs and is the chief law enforcement officer of the United States government. The attorney general is considered to be the chief lawyer of the U.S. government...
for Civil Rights. Perez was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on October 6, 2009. Angel Taveras
Angel Taveras
Angel Taveras is an American lawyer and mayor of Providence, Rhode Island. Taveras is the first Hispanic mayor of the city and the third elected and fourth serving Dominican-American mayor in the United States....
, mayor of Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, is the first Hispanic mayor of the city, the third elected, and the fourth serving Dominican American mayor in the United States.
Music
Some notables in the music industry include: Kat DeLunaKat DeLuna
Kathleen Emperatriz "Kat" DeLuna is an American pop singer of Dominican heritage. DeLuna has a soprano vocal range. Her debut single, "Whine Up", reached the top ten in Belgium and France, peaked inside the top forty of the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. Her...
singer; Fuego
Fuego (singer)
Miguel Duran better known by his stage name Fuego "La Musica Del Futuro" is a Dominican-American Merengue Singer-songwriter, Composer & CEO of his label Estrella de barrio.-Early Life:...
Merengue singer, Ralph Mercado
Ralph Mercado
Ralph Mercado Jr. was a promoter of Latin American music — Latin Jazz, Latin rock, merengue and salsa — who established a network of businesses that included promoting concerts, managing artists, Radio Mundo Musical a record label the most important in the Latin industry during 1980-1990, film...
, founder of RMM Records and music producer; Johnny Pacheco
Johnny Pacheco
Johnny Pacheco is a Dominican producer, musician, bandleader, and one of the most influential figures in American salsa music.-Early life:...
, singer, godfather of New York salsa; Karina Pasian
Karina Pasian
Karina Pasian is an American Grammy Award nominated singer and pianist. She is currently signed to Def Jam.-Life and career:...
, singer and pianist; Proyecto Uno
Proyecto Uno
Proyecto Uno is a Dominican-American merenrap group which helped popularize a style of music which blends merengue with rap, techno, dancehall reggae and hip-hop music. The band was founded in New York City's East Side in 1989 by Nelson Zapata and managed by Porfirio "Popi" Piña...
, merengue hip-hop group; Anthony Santos
Anthony Santos
Anthony "Romeo" Santos is a Dominican-American singer, featured composer and former lead singer of the Bachata group Aventura. As a member of Aventura, Santos has been a key figure in popularizing Bachata, with hits reaching near the top of the Billboard Latin charts and the top of charts in Europe...
, singer and songwriter; Rosanna Tavarez
Rosanna Tavarez
Rosanna Tavarez is a Dominican American entertainment reporter and presenter on television. Tavarez stars on TV Guide Channel alongside former American Idol contestants Kimberly Caldwell and Justin Guarini. She started off on Mun2, a Telemundo cable channel, hosting a show...
, singer and television host.
Sports
Dominican Americans have made great strides in the field of baseball, the community's favored sport. Alex RodriguezAlex Rodriguez
Alexander Emmanuel "Alex" Rodriguez is an American professional baseball third baseman with the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. Known popularly by his nickname A-Rod, he previously played shortstop for the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers.Rodriguez is considered one of the best...
, New York-born, is the most well-known Dominican American in this field. He is the highest-paid player in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
(MLB), and one of the most famous athletes in the United States. The larger portion of MLB players of Dominican origin immigrated from the Dominican Republic, number in the hundreds, and count among them Pedro Martínez
Pedro Martínez
Pedro Jaime Martínez is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He is an eight-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner, and 2004 World Series champion...
, David Ortiz
David Ortiz
David Américo Ortiz Arias , known as David Ortiz, nicknamed "Big Papi", is a Dominican American professional baseball player who is currently a free agent. Previously, Ortiz played with the Minnesota Twins and Boston Red Sox...
, Albert Pujols
Albert Pujols
José Alberto Pujols Alcántara , better known as Albert Pujols , is a Dominican-American professional baseball player, who is currently a free agent...
, Manny Ramírez
Manny Ramírez
Manuel "Manny" Arístides Ramírez Onelcida is a retired Dominican-American professional baseball outfielder. He was recognized for great batting skill and power, a nine-time Silver Slugger and one of 25 players to hit 500 career home runs. Ramirez's 21 grand slams are third all-time, and his 28...
, and Hall of Fame
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
member Juan Marichal
Juan Marichal
Juan Antonio Marichal Sánchez is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. Playing for the San Francisco Giants most of his career, Marichal was known for his high leg kick, pinpoint control and intimidation tactics, which included aiming pitches directly at the opposing batters'...
. Some of them have obtained US citizenship. Dominican natives Felipe Alou and Tony Peña
Tony Peña
Antonio Francisco Peña Padilla is a former professional baseball player, manager and current coach. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball for the Pirates, Cardinals, Red Sox, Indians, White Sox, and Astros. Peña was the manager of the Kansas City Royals between 2002 and 2005. He...
were managers
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
, and Omar Minaya
Omar Minaya
Omar Teodoro Antonio Minaya y Sánchez is a former baseball executive who served as General Manager for the Montreal Expos and New York Mets.-Early life:...
is a general manager
General manager (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....
in MLB. Basketball has seen the likes of Felipe Lopez
Felipe López
Felipe López may refer to:*Felipe López *Felipe López *Felipe López *Felipe Molas López , former president of Paraguay...
, Francisco Garcia
Francisco García
Francisco García is a Dominican professional basketball player who currently plays for the Sacramento Kings of the NBA. A 6'7", 195-pound guard–forward from the University of Louisville, García was selected by the Kings in the first round of the 2005 NBA Draft...
, and Al Horford
Al Horford
Alfred Joel Horford Reynoso is a Dominican professional basketball player who is a center and power forward for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association...
, all originally from the Dominican Republic, and Charlie Villanueva
Charlie Villanueva
Charlie Alexander Villanueva is an American basketball player who currently plays for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association....
from New York. In the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL) there are Luis Castillo and Tutan Reyes
Tutan Reyes
Tutankhamen Marqués Reyes is a free agent American football guard in the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the fifth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...
.
Other
Among other notables of full or partial Dominican origins are Nancy AlvarezNancy Alvarez (psychologist)
Nancy Alvarez is a Dominican television personality who, as a psychologist, sexologist and family therapist, is best known for hosting the talk show ¿Quién Tiene La Razón? [Who's Right?]...
, sexologist and talk show host in Spanish-language media; Susie Castillo
Susie Castillo
Susie Castillo is a former beauty queen who held the Miss USA title and competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants...
, Miss USA
Miss USA
The Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...
2003; Mary Joe Fernández
Mary Joe Fernández
Mary Joe Fernández Godsick is an American former professional tennis player...
, a tennis player and television commentator; Providencia Paredes
Providencia Paredes
Providencia Paredes was the personal assistant to the First Lady of the United States Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. A native of San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, Parades arrived in the United States in 1948 with Francisco Thomen, Ambassador to the United States from the Dominican Republic...
, an assistant and confidante to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Jacqueline Lee Bouvier "Jackie" Kennedy Onassis was the wife of the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, and served as First Lady of the United States during his presidency from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. Five years later she married Greek shipping magnate Aristotle...
; and Ilka Tanya Payan
Ilka Tanya Payan
Ilka Tanya Payán was a Dominican actress and attorney who later became a prominent AIDS/HIV activist in the United States.-Life and career:...
, an AIDS/HIV activist, actress, and attorney.