Bridgeport’s Hispanic Community:
Rediscovering Elizabeth Medina Hispanic Activist
and Reporter.
During the late 40′s and early 50′s, Bridgeport was an important nucleus for the migration of Puerto Ricans and many Cubans. They left their Caribbean homeland in search of better opportunities for their families.
These pioneering families such as the Pericas, Faria, Medina, Diaz, Arias, and
Batalla, are just a handful of many Families that called the Park City home.
Their numerous contributions helped forge the growth of the Latino community
in Bridgeport. These families contributed to the city as business owners, leaders, politicians and activist. One of these activists was Elizabeth Medina.
Ms. Elizabeth Medina, given name Isabel Maria Fernandez-Mora, was born in Gaguey Grande, a Province of Matanzas, Cuba in 1907. Elizabeth was known to her family and friends as Isa. Little is known of her childhood and adolescent years in Cuba, but it is known that Isa’s family was very understanding, patient and liberal as she sought out a career as a news paper correspondent reporter in the late 1920’s. This was a rarity due to the fact that a female Latina woman would enter a career that was pretty much dominated by all males. In the late 20’s, leaving her family behind, she moved to Havana where she worked and wrote
for a Havana based newspaper.
During the decade of 30’s, she traveled to the United States an official
newspaper correspondent for a Cuban newspaper to cover the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair and also the New York World’s Fair in 1939.
In the 1940’s she settled in New York City, Where she met Nicolas Medina a gentleman of Puerto Rican descent from the town of Adjuntas, Puerto Rico and in 1946 they were married. Two years later in 1948 they made Bridgeport their home. Ms. Medina came at an interesting time in history witnessing the influx of Hispanics coming into the Park City. Puerto Ricans and Cubans embraced Bridgeport’s as their new home and community. Adjusting to their surrounding and their eagerness to work, the appreciated every opportunity for the jobs that the city had to offer.
Witnessing firsthand the growing Hispanic community Ms
Medina along with her husband Nicolas, Fernando and Carmelita Pericas, Anibal
Sotomayor, and others became the founding Members of the Latin American Society, located at the time at 222 Golden Hill St.
The Latin American society was created as social outlet for the Latinos living in the
city. It also served as a voice for any arising issues whether it may be housing,
employment, or discrimination against Bridgeport’s Latino residents. One of these cases of discrimination to face the Latino community was in 1950. One of the city of Bridgeport health department officers stated that there was “A Puerto Rican Problem” at the time with its’ newest residents. Dr Richard O’Brian Shea declared that Puerto Ricans constituted “this city’s major health problems,” because they carried tuberculosis with them. (Quote taken from article published in the Harold December 30, 1951)
It has been said that Ms. Medina along with members of the Latin merican society went door to door and interviewed many Puerto Rican families to verify if erculosis was present in the home. Their findings showed no presence of uberculosis and the finding were given to the Sunday Harold who in turned wrote an article disclosing the fact and unmasking the untrue information provided by the Bridgeport heath department’s officer.
Ms Medina, contributed articles for both the Bridgeport Sunday Herald and English/Spanish speaking newspaper based in New York City La Prensa. She
also spearhead what is believe to be the fist presence of Hispanics in the Barnum Festival Parade in the early 50’s was a float displaying the costumes of the various Latin American countries.
Ms. Medina wore many hats. She was a women who was advanced for her time a free thinker not only was she a reporter, she served as a delegate to the United Nation, she was a advocate, and a friend to the Latino community of Bridgeport . Ms Medina lived in Bridgeport with her husband Nickolas for much of their golden years before moving to California where she passed away at the age of 97. Nickolas, Elizabeth’s husband died a few years later.
Elizabeth Medina- Notes:
and Facts
Elizabeth Medina (Isabel Maria Hernandez-
Mora )
She arrived in the United States from Cuba to New York City
on June 24, 1930
What was born (Isabel Maria Hernandez- Mora ) Gaguey Grande, Provincia Matanzas, Cuba, November 19, 1907.
She died in Carlsbad, California July 19, 2003 at the age of
95.
She married to Nicolas Medina in New York City, Feb 21,1946
Nicolas Medina of Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, 1913
She was also one of the founding members of the Latin American
Society.
She was an newpaper correspondent for the Bridgeport Sunday
Herald.
Resources: newspaper articles-
McDonald, Bill-
Post staff writer – In search of the
Hispanic history -Bridgeport Post, Tuesday, February 19th 1985.
Whelan ,Anne -Puerto Ricans: problems for Bridgeport?
-5000 Arise, Looking for Jobs, Get Them, Too – Bridgeport Sunday Post,
Sunday August 1953.
An Editorial- Why Drop Iron Curtain On Puerto Rican
Scandal? – Herald, December 30, 1951.
By: Benjamin Ortiz
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