Draft Summary
4th largest urban area in the U.S. (2006 population 5,48 million
51% of county residents are foreign born.
Latinos (ofany race) 64%
Black ( non-hispanic) 19% (mostly Carribbean)
White (non-hispanic) 18%
Miami is both the richest and poorest cities in the US:
5th richest in terms of purchasing power;
3rd highest with families under poverty level
4th largest urban area in the U.S. (2006 population 5,48 million
51% of county residents are foreign born.
Latinos (ofany race) 64%
Black ( non-hispanic) 19% (mostly Carribbean)
White (non-hispanic) 18%
Miami is both the richest and poorest cities in the US:
5th richest in terms of purchasing power;
3rd highest with families under poverty level
Miami is referred to as the Magic City because in the late 1800s the founders prided themselves in having grown a city out of a jungle. No slow development. Julia Tuttle, who was from one of the two families living along the Miami River decided this would be a great place for a city. She convinced Flagler to extend his rail road to Miami and turn it into a tourist city. Thousands of people started moving to Miami as hotels resorts churches and housing was built to welcome them. Within a couple of decades it's Population was well into the 10,000s. The magic bubble was burst when thœe huuricane of 1926 flattened the city just before the Great Depression. Development of the city was moderate until 1980 with the sudden and rapid influx of immigrantss. For the past 40 years the city has mushroomed into the fourth largest urban area in the United States.
Waves of immigration and athe growth of Miami are directly linked to the events in Latin America. The elite from,Cubain the 60s and then from Nicaragua in 1979 after the countries respective revolitions were followed by waves directly by waves of middle class and then in throughout the 80s poor immigrants as well as waves of immigrants from Haiti. And other Central American countries facing political and economic instability and unrest. Current waves included moneyed immigrants from Argentina and Venezuela.
17th Avenue, a cross section north and south of Miami: Little Havana/Nicaragua; Dominican & Central American; African American & Caribbean/Haitian.