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Little Spain Restaurant – Owned by Jose and Carmen Perez of the Spanish American Welfare Association – This restaurant was located on Wilkesbarre Street, Lackawanna, NY 14218 Circa 1950s – and was one of the first Spanish Restaurants/Bars in…

La Mayagüesana Delicatessen, Jose Rullan – Proprietor – Circa 1965 – one of the first Latin American grocery stores to bring Spanish products to the early Puerto Rican/Migrant community. This business was located at 173 Ridge Road Lackawanna,…

During World War II, women occupied the jobs that men who were fighting in the war once took. Mercedes "Bessie" Mendez was one of the women in the community who worked at Bethlehem Steel during the war. Once the war ended, the men returned to the…

This barbershop was one of the first Hispanic owned businesses in the community. Felix Magui Rodriguez to this day still has the chair from his barber shop.

Raul Russi was the first Puerto Rican police officer in the City of Buffalo. He became a political activist and helped elect the first Hispanic judge in the City's history. He served as the Assistant Superintendent of the Erie County Correctional…

This interview took place in Vidal’s home in Buffalo, NY. Alma Carrillo conducted the interview. Vidal was born September 22, 1931. He came to Buffalo originally from Puerto Rico looking for more opportunity. He arrived in Western New York in 1951,…

This interview with Rosa Aviles took place on September 13, 2012 at the Lackawanna Public Library and was conducted by Stephanie Bucalo. Rosa Aviles was born in Puerto Rico and moved to Buffalo at the age of 10 years old in 1953. She attended the…

Pedro Maurás was born in Puerto Rico and worked on a sugar plantation until he received notice from his brother that there were well paying jobs in Buffalo. Pedro migrated to Buffalo without a formal education but eventually found employment on a…

This interview with Olivia Padilla took place on April 22, 2014 in Buffalo, NY and was conducted by Stephanie Bucalo and Casimiro Rodriguez. Olivia Padilla was born in Lackawanna to Spanish parents who migrated to the region after passing through…

This interview with Nivian Rodriguez Perez took place on October 24, 2013 in Buffalo, NY and was conducted by Stephanie Bucalo. Nivian Rodriguez Perez was born in Puerto Rico but moved to Buffalo in 1952 when she was 9 years old. She was placed in a…