>>> NEW YORK IS KNOWN AS A CITY
OF IMMIGRANTS AND IT’S A MONIKER THAT DATES BACK CENTURIES.
DESPITE ALL THAT HISTORY, THE
STORY THE MAN BELIEVED TO BE THE
CITY’S FIRST IMMIGRANT IS REL
OFLY UNKNOWN. NEWS 4 CAUGHT UP WITH THOSE
HOPING TO KEEP THE STORIES
ALIVE.
>> IT IS A SURPRISE TO KNOW THAT NEW YORK CITY BEGAN NOT IN 1625
AS IT WAS THE COMMON
UNDERSTANDING, BUT A FEW YEARS
BEFORE THAT.
1613.
>> THAT’S RAMONA HERNANDEZ WITH
CITY MRILTS OF NEW YORK
DOMINICAN STUDIES INSTITUTE SHOWED US SOME OF THE DOCUMENTS.
THEY SAY IN 1613, RODRIGUEZ
SAILED HERE FROM WHAT WE NOW
CALL THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. HE SET UP BUSINESS AS A TRADER
AND MARRIED A NATIVE AMERICAN
WOMAN.
>> THAT WAS MORE THAN A DECADE BEFORE THE DUTCH CLAIMED THE
ISLAND AS NEW AMSTERDAM, A TIMELINE THAT MAKES RODRIGUEZ,
WHO HAD PARENTS OF AFRICAN
DISISN’T, THE FIRST EXPANDIC
EVER.
>> YOU SHOULD SEE THE REACTION
OF MY STUDENTS.
>> MIGUEL PEREZ SAYS HIS
STUDENTS ARE FLABBER
GOVERNMENTED.
>> THEY BECOME VERY MAD. THEY BECOME OFFENDED.
THEY ASK OVER AND OVER AGAIN,
WHY DIDN’T THEY TEACH ME THIS WHEN I WENT THROUGH COURSES.
>> IN 012, NEW YORK CITY EVEN
NAMED A STRETCH OF BROADWAY FROM
WASHINGTON HEIGHTS THROUGH
INNWOOD AFTER HIM.
>> DO YOU KNOW WHO THAT IS?
>> YN WHAT HE DID.
HIS NAME IS THERE.
>> HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF HIM?
>> NO.
>> NEVER?
>> NEVER. >> MANY WANTED TO KNOW MORE.
>> I AM VERY PROUD BECAUSE I AM
DOMINICAN. >> BACK IN HER OFFICE, DR.
HERNANDEZ SAYS THAT TELLS HER
THERE IS MORE TD.
>> OBVIOUSLY, WE NEED TO DO MORE
WORK FOR THE MEMORY NOT TO DIE,
RIGHT, AND CONTINUE SO THAT WE
CONTINUE TO REMEMBER THAT WE HAVE AN IMMIGRANT, YOU KNOW,
FLESH AND BLOOD SETTLING HERE.
>> THEY AREN’T TOO SURE WHAT BECAME OF RODRIGUEZ.
THEY HOPE THAT ANSWER IS IN 16th
CENTURY MANUSCRIPTS THAT THEY
PLAN TO VIEW.
>> OUR HISTORY DOESN’T BEGIN WITH THE MIGRATION OF THE
IMMIGRANTS IN 160, BUT ON THE
CONTRARY, QUITE A FEW HUNDRED