Ella Burns (Princeton, Florida)

Overview
Ella Burns, a resident of Princeton, Florida, was interviewed by Gladys Buck in 1938 as a part of the Federal Writer's Project.

South Florida Immigration and The Great Depression
Immigrants have historically faced many obstacles in making a new life in the United States. Many of these difficulties were driven by the economic conditions associated with The Great Depression. "Foreign immigrants were compelled to accept employment on any terms." Housing and food were frequently in short supply for such immigrants.

Miami, and the greater Miami area, has historically been a city of immigrants. While most are familiar with the arrival of Cuban immigrants in 1959 and following years, migration from the Caribbean has much earlier orgins.

By 1920, one quarter of Miami's population of 29,571 consisted of foreign born persons. More than 65% of these immigrants were from the West Indies.

For this immigrants arriving in South Florida prior to the onset of the real estate bust, jobs were plentiful in the construction trades. For example, Bahamian immigrants were well known for their masonry skills. Furthermore, the expansion of the Flager railroad had created many employment opportunities. Of course, jobs were also plentiful in the boost of agricultural production associated with the citrus fields and vegetable crops.

Interestingly, the real estate bust and the economic impact of The Great Depression did little to stymie immigration to South Florida from the West Indies. For example, immigration from the Bahamas actually increased during the 1930's.

Jim Crow and South Florida Immigrants
It is interesting that Ella Burns, while of a dark complexion, asserted that she was of "Indian" descent. Most natives of Grand Cayman island are of mixed African and European descent.

In any case, the ability of the Burns family to be classified as "white" was not without its advantages. Most of the immigrants from the West Indies were of African descent. South Florida was still the Deep South and Jim Crow was in full force and effect. Miami newspapers referred to the black immigrants as "lazy and shiftless" and persons of color were referred to by local police using racial epithets.

An immigrant of color was treated no better than persons of color who were born in the US.