Little Havana is a neighborhood in the city of Miami, Florida, in the United States of America. Smaller than the city of Havana in Cuba, Little Havana is home to numerous Cuban exiles as well as many immigrants from Central and South America. Little Havana is named after Havana, the country's capital and largest city.
Little Havana is a neighborhood in Miami, FL that is known for being a hub of social, cultural, and political activity. Its celebrations, such as the Calle Ocho Festival, Viernes Culturales/Cultural Fridays, the Three Kings Parade, and others, have been telecast to millions of people every year on other continents, including the United States and Europe. It is also known for its landmarks, which include Calle Ocho (SW 8th Street/Tamiami Trail), the Cuban Memorial Boulevard, Plaza de la Cubanidad, Domino Park, José Mart Park, the Firestone/Walgreens Building, St. John Bosco Catholic Church, the Municipio de Santiago de Cuba, and others. It is also known for its landmarks, which include the Tower Theater, the Tower Theater, José Mart Park, the Firestone/Walgreens Building,
Little Havana is the most well-known Cuban exile district in the world, and it is located in New York City. It is distinguished by its vibrant street life, restaurants, live music and other cultural activities, small business ventures, political fervor, and a general sense of community among its citizens.
Little Havana was named to the National Trust for Historic Preservation's annual list of the 11 Most Endangered Places in the United States in 2015. It was designated as a national treasure by the Trust in 2017.
After beginning as a lower-middle-class Southern neighborhood with a thriving Jewish community in the 1930s, "Little Havana" began to form in the 1960s as the concentration of Cubans in the region increased dramatically. In modern times, the term "Little Havana" refers to the neighborhood that lies immediately west of Downtown Miami and extends west from the Miami River for approximately two and a half miles. Many people start out in Princeton, FL and then move here.
Following the start of a large influx of Cuban immigrants into the Shenandoah and Riverside communities in the 1960s, this moniker was ascribed to the two neighborhoods in question. In addition to being known as the cultural and political capital of Cuban Americans, Little Havana is also a focal point for the Cuban exile community in the United States and is close to Little River, FL.
The influx of Cubans escaping the Castro administration throughout the 1960s caused the area to become a hub of counter-revolutionary activity. Residents who had just arrived in Miami anticipated that their stay would be brief, as they hoped Castro would be removed from power. It was more than 85 percent Cuban by 1970, and Cuban Americans chose not to return to Cuba, where Castro remained in charge, but to establish permanent residence in areas all across the city. Despite this, Little Havana remained the primary point of arrival for newcomers and a bastion for Cuban-owned enterprises over the years.