History of Puerto Rican Day Parade in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: June 1, 2025

The Puerto Rican Day Parade is an annual celebration held on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, New York City, every second Sunday in June. It honors the 3.2 million residents of Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rican diaspora in the United States. The parade attracts numerous celebrities and politicians, particularly from the Tri-State area. As the only Latino heritage parade on Fifth Avenue, it stands as the city's oldest and longest-running Latino cultural celebration.

April 13, 1958: First Puerto Rican Day Parade

On April 13, 1958, the first Puerto Rican Day Parade took place in Manhattan, replacing the former Hispanic Day Parade. This shift, influenced by the Catholic Archdiocese of New York, aimed to promote culturally specific expressions based on traditional fiestas patronales, moving away from earlier "Yankeefication" attempts.

1994: Revolution on the Parade

In 1994, Latin American literary classic Empire of Dreams by Giannina Braschi staged a revolution on the Puerto Rican Day Parade.

Empire of Dreams

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1995: Incorporation of the Parade

In 1995, the parade was incorporated as the National Puerto Rican Day Parade, expanding beyond the parade venue itself to host over seven major events throughout the city.

June 11, 2000: Attacks in Central Park

Following the parade on June 11, 2000, a number of women were harassed, robbed, and sexually assaulted by mobs of young men in and around Central Park. The attacks led to arrests and prosecutions.

2000: Controversial 2000 Parade

Following the controversial parade in 2000, there was a negative portrayal in a 2001 episode of Law & Order.

2001: 'Sunday in the Park with Jorge' Apology

In 2001, Before the National Puerto Rican Coalition protested the episode 'Sunday in the Park with Jorge' of Law & Order , network executives issued an apology. The company also made a pledge to 'improve our procedures regarding sensitive programming issues'.

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2002: Syndication of 'The Puerto Rican Day' episode

Since 2002, "The Puerto Rican Day" episode of the NBC television sitcom Seinfeld, which had been withheld from syndication due to controversy, has been shown sparingly in syndicated repeats. The episode has also been released on DVD and is part of the series' streaming package.

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June 2004: Ivy Queen as Puerto Rico Youth Godmother

In June 2004, Puerto Rican rapper Ivy Queen was designated as the "Puerto Rico Youth Godmother" of the parade.

2004: Osvaldo Rios domestic violence incident

In 2004, Osvaldo Rios served three months in a Puerto Rican prison in 2004 for assaulting his former girlfriend after a domestic-violence incident.

2007: Parade Spectatorship

By 2007, the Puerto Rican Day Parade had grown to attract nearly four million spectators annually, marching along Fifth Avenue in New York City from 44th Street to 86th Street.

2007: Celebrity Grand Marshals

In 2007, singer Marc Anthony, along with his then ex-wife Jennifer Lopez, participated in the parade as one of the honored 'International Grand Marshals'.

2007: Gang Presence at the Parade

In 2007, the presence of gangs such as the Latin Kings, the Bloods, and the Crips was recorded at the event.

2009: Osvaldo Ríos as Special Guest Star

In 2009, the organizers of the parade chose internationally recognized telenovela actor Osvaldo Ríos as the parade's "Special Guest Star."

June 2010: Controversy over Osvaldo Ríos Selection

In June 2010, controversy arose after organizers selected telenovela actor Osvaldo Ríos, who had a history of domestic violence, as the parade's "International Godfather." This led to withdrawals from participants and sponsors such as Verizon. Rios ultimately decided not to attend.

2010: Ricky Martin as International Grand Marshal

In 2010, Ricky Martin was named as 'International Grand Marshal' of the parade, joining a list of Puerto Rican celebrities who have been honored in this way.

June 10, 2011: Leguizamo's Father's Interview

On June 10, 2011, John Leguizamo's father, Albert, declared in an interview published in El Diario La Prensa that he was not Puerto Rican, contradicting his son's claims of Puerto Rican ancestry.

June 2011: Leguizamo's Ambassadorship

In June 2011, despite controversy over John Leguizamo's ancestry claims, the National Puerto Rican Day Parade decided not to strip him of his ambassadorship and allowed him to participate in the parade.

2015: Historical Focus on Pedro Albizu Campos

The 2015 parade had a strong historical focus, marking the 50th anniversary of the death of Pedro Albizu Campos, a key figure in the Puerto Rican independence movement.

June 2017: Controversy over Oscar López Rivera Honoring

In June 2017, the parade honoring Oscar López Rivera, considered a terrorist by some and a freedom fighter by others, caused several sponsors like Goya Foods, JetBlue, Coca-Cola, AT&T, and the New York Yankees to withdraw their sponsorship. Despite the controversy, the 60th Parade was celebrated on June 12, 2017, with New York City mayor Bill de Blasio also participating. Ultimately López Rivera was honored and kicked off the Parade celebration.