This social history of the post-World War II Puerto Rican community in the United States focuses mainly on New York City. Each of the following chapters can be read separately: (1) "The Colonial Relationship: Migration and History" examines the factors leading to the migration of Puerto Ricans to the United States and their choice of communities; (2) "Beyond the Census Data: A Portrait of the Community" critically reviews standard statistical indicators used to portray the Puerto Rican community; (3) "The Rainbow People" examines both the absence of racially discriminatory attitudes among Puerto Ricans and racial discrimination against Puerto Ricans; (4) "The Political-Economic Context" examines the factors at work in New York City that have limited the economic opportunities of Puerto Ricans; (5) "Housing and the South Bronx" examines the connections between race and the decline of New York City's largest Puerto Rican neighborhood; (6) "Educational Dynamics" reviews the explanations often given for the low educational attainment of Hispanic American students and offers recommendations for improving the education of Puerto Ricans; and (7) "The Menudo Phenomenon: An Unwritten History" is a case study analysis of the impact of a popular folk-rock group that illustrates the Puerto Rican cultural context in contemporary New York. Statistical data are presented in 12 tables and 10 graphs. A 548-item bibliography and a discussion of the effects of tracking on Hispanic American students are appended. (FMW)