Puerto Rican citizenship
Puerto Rican citizenship was first legislated by the United States Congress in Article 7 of the Foraker Act of 1900 and later recognized in the Constitution of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rican citizenship existed before the U.S. takeover of the islands of Puerto Rico and continued afterwards. Its affirmative standing was also recognized before and after the creation of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in 1952. Puerto Rican citizenship was recognized by the United States Congress in the early twentieth century and continues unchanged after the creation of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The United States government also continues to recognize a Puerto Rican nationality. Puerto Rican citizenship was once also recognized by the Spanish Government, which recognized Puerto Ricans as a people with Puerto Rican, and not American citizenship. It also at one time granted Spanish citizenship to Puerto Ricans on the basis of their Puerto Rican (and not American) citizenship.
Centro de Estudios Puertorriqueños
Centro regularly sponsors conferences and seminars that highlight the Puerto Rican experience. These include: Claiming the Center Stage: Critical Perspectives on Puerto Ricans and Dominicans in the U.S., cosponsored with the Dominican Studies Institute (DSI) of City College, focusing on timely issues affecting the Puerto Rican and Dominican communities in New York; Symposium: 100 Years of the Jones Act and Puerto Rican U.S. Citizenship, examining the history and legacy of the collective naturalization of Puerto Ricans as United States citizens; and the video conference Puerto Ricans in Cyberspace, a look at Puerto Ricans in social media.