With the post-war economy transforming the labor force in the United States’ industrial hubs, Puerto Ricans found themselves with limited job opportunities in Philadelphia. In Chapter 5 of Carmen Teresa Walen’s book, “From Puerto Rico to Philadelphia,” she examines the causes behind racial and gender variation in employment and how Puerto Rican workers were funneled into certain sectors of the market. Puerto Rican women worked predominantly in the clothing and food processing industries while Puerto Rican men were largely service workers in establishments such as restaurants and hotels. Additionally, women could often expect to find more consistent employment, as many of the jobs that men occupied were considered seasonal or temporary labor.
