Resettlement re-cap: a periodic report from the Cuban Refugee Center, April 1969

              SPONSOR CUBAN REFUGEES
Fullfill Their Faith in Freedom
APRIL, 1969
RESETTLEMENT  RE-CAP
FOR   ADMINISTRATIVE   USE
A PERIODIC REPORT FROM CUBAN REFUGEE CENTER — FREEDOM TOWER, MIAMI, FLORIDA 33101
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE
SOCIAL AND REHABILITATION SERVICE
U. S. CUBAN REFUGEE PROGRAM HOWARD H. PALMATIER, Deputy Director, Washington, D.C.
ERROL T.  BALLANFONTE, Director of Center HARRY B. LYFORD, Editor
EDUCATION, PRIDE, DETERMINATION MOTIVATE WILMINGTON REFUGEES; CUBAN COMMITTEE A UNITING FACTOR
Wilmington, Del., is another American community in which Cuban refugees have their own organization — in this case the Cuban Committee of
Delaware, of which Leonides F. Calienes is chairman.
"The Cuban committee keeps the homeland's culture alive by holding
monthly sessions, when Cuban songs, dances and other cultural activities
are enjoyed," reports the Wilmington JOURNAL. A reporter for this paper,
Charles P. Wilson, recently talked with Wilmington Cubans about their
experiences since the Castro takeover.  His discussions- brought out this
story:
Most of the 500 Cubans in the Wilmington area have made a success of
their new lives but they have not forgotten their native land.  It has
been 10 years since Castro's take-over started the steady stream of refugees into the U.S. -- and a surprisingly significant number have settled in Wilmington.
DETERMINED TO FIT IN AND SUCCEED
"Armed with a good education, a fierce pride and a determination to
fit in and succeed, Delaware's Cubans have generally done well for
themselves and are quick to help countrymen who find the going rough
at first," wrote Mr. Wilson. "Today the 125 or more Cuban families in
Wilmington are hard to distinguish, in most cases, from their native
American neighbors -- in appearance or style of living.  For the children -- teen-agers on down -- it is virtually impossible.  They are
proud they have been able to adopt the English language and the American
culture as their own, but they are also proud of being Cubans.  They are
not about to forget, or let their children forget, their heritage."
Among the highly respected Cuban refugees
of the Wilmington community is Dr. Jose
Peralta, ophthalmologist, shown adjusting
an eyelamp. He studied medicine at the
University of Maryland before opening
practice in his native Camaguey, Cuba.
When he chose to exit to the U.S. he was
guided by a professional friend to Wilmington where he says he feels he has
"just moved to another city, not to another country." His Green Acres home
appears typically American. On the wall,
however, is a framed Cuban flag.
-- Photos Courtesy Wilmington JOURNAL.
Cuban refugees started coming to the Wilmington area in significant
numbers in 1960, probably because Castro took over the Du Pont Co.'s paint factory and distribution center in
Havana that year. Du Pont began transferring many of the plant's several hundred employees to Wilmington and
this established a nucleus, later enlarged by family and friends who came to join them.
Another factor that made Wilmington known to many Cubans was the program in which the Salesianum School
brought 21 Cuban high school students to study in 1961.  The purpose was to save them from being indoctrinated
in communism.  Churches in the Wilmington area were also active in bringing refugees and still others came
through the help of long-time friends living in the area.
About 30 per cent of the Cubans employed in the Wilmington area are engineers and another 30 per cent accountants.  At least 10 and probably more are physicians and dentists.   In addition to the Du Pont Co., which
employs many of the Cuban work force, the expatriates can be found
at the Chrysler and General Motors assembly plants;  at Hercules,
Inc., and Atlas Chemical Industries; Blue Cross and Blue Shield of  Chairman of the Cuban
Delaware and NVF Co.,  to name a  few companies.   In addition to  j!™^^^ Ve**"*Te>
working in industries in nearby states,  other Cubans have entered  j^^his to say- "In*
the social work field while some have opened their own businesses.  the y g^ if yo^ h&ve
the desire you can
make it, especially
if you are a refugee.
Some say this country
has faults, but so
does every country.
The U.S. has fewer
faults, and we are
glad to be here."
RELATIVES COME TO RELATIVES, WO FLIGHTS EVERY DAY, FIVE DAYS EVERY WEEK
NO
CUBAN
ON WELFARE
"We
are very proud
that
even
though we came
here with a
great
language difficulty,
and no money or
pos
sessions,
we
today
do not have one
Cuban
on welfare."
Statement
by
Albert
Lanza,  Monroe
Park
area
of Wilmington
,  member
of
the Cuban Committee of Delaware.