Oral history interview with Danny Soltren

Oral history interview with Danny Soltren

Boston (Mass.). Office of the Mayor

1975-1976

Oral history interview with Danny Soltren. Soltren migrated from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico with his family in the early 1950s, earlier than many Puerto Rican migrants who moved to the South End in the 1960s. He describes how after arriving in Boston, his mother worked at a clothing factory and his father owned a store. Soltren also notes that the neighborhood had a large number of bars and liquor stores at the time. He recounts the lower-income neighborhood’s tight-knit atmosphere and sense of unity across racial boundaries, especially among children. He also describes an influx of wealthier residents following urban renewal in the late 1960s and early 1970s, pushing lower-income populations into areas like Dorchester and Roxbury. Topics also mentioned include the Abraham Lincoln School, the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA), Dover Street, West Brookline Street, Harrison Street, Waltham Street, Washington Street, Village Street, Castle Square, Shawmut Avenue, Tremont Street, Warren Avenue, Dartmouth Street, Union Park, Chinatown, and the North End. Note: Interview subject is referred to as both “Danny Soltren” and “Dani Rivera.” Transcript includes editorial note by a third party at the beginning.

South End (Boston, Mass.)

Emigration and immigration

Puerto Ricans--United States

Urban renewal

Boston Public Schools

Housing rehabilitation

Digital Commonwealth

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https://cityofboston.access.preservica.com/uncategorized/IO_6daeef00-e14e-4d68-9858-c626617d5770/