‘Portuguese from SoHo’ | Book Release

SYNOPSIS

The Portuguese diaspora took its people to all geographies. Manhattan, in New York, was the destination of about 700 families after the Second World War and until the 1980s. This community, its traditions, and its history are the protagonists of Portuguese from SoHo, a thoroughly written version of the documentary with the same title directed by Ana Ventura Miranda in 2006.

This book depicts the historical context, private moments, traditions, and thoughts of some Portuguese who crossed the Atlantic and settled in New York, searching for a prosperous life. They found a place of communion in SoHo, where a strong and thriving Portuguese community offered a school, a church, corner stores, football teams, and associations.

Only after the rent increase started in the 1980s, forcing people to seek housing in other areas, the community started to dwindle. This separation did not weaken the bond between these people or undermine their love for Portugal. Portuguese from SoHo is the portrait of a neighborhood, a community, and the vibrant Portuguese spirit that emerged in SoHo during the second half of the 20th century.