Puerto Rican Laborers during World War I: The Deposition of Rafael Marchán

The Jones-Shafroth Act of March 1917 made Puerto Ricans U.S. citizens (though those on the island could not vote in U.S. elections or pay federal taxes). In addition to serving in the military, Puerto Ricans were also sought to fill in labor shortages though these laborers were not always treated well. This 1918 legal testimony is provided online by History Matters and brings to light some of the difficulties Puerto Ricans endured.