As early as 200 years ago, the first Portuguese came to New Jersey as slave traders. Some of them decided to settle down after sailing between the continent of Africa and North America for some time. Before 1900, there were 38 Portuguese residents of Newark. In the late 1920s, some Portuguese immigrants came to Newark to make money before returning home to Portugal. The majority of Portuguese now living in Newark, however, came from settlers who first went to Massachusetts to live and work, but found their jobs had headed south in the United States.  Upon hearing of job opportunities in Newark, they brought their families to the city.

Many of these Portuguese migrants worked in textile factories, linoleum factories and for Public Service Electric and Gas. They lived along Ferry Street and throughout what is now the East Ward. The Portuguese were good at putting aside a portion of their money and sending it to Portugal to be invested at 7-8% interest. They managed to accumulate sizable sums of money that they used to invest in more than 100 small businesses in Newark, including restaurants, taverns, and stores of all types, most of them on or near Ferry Street in the Ironbound.

These commercial ventures, along with housing developments, have expanded and been maintained by Portuguese businesspersons and contractors for nearly 70 years. It is very difficult for outsiders to penetrate the commercial bonds that exist in this community. The source of the Portuguese community’s strength is their reliance upon one another.

Newark’s Portuguese residents are very committed to their clubs, social organizations and churches in the East Ward. Second and third generation Portuguese have taken advantage of education and business opportunities and have entered the ranks of professionals, educators, administrators and elected officials.

References:

“Portuguese in Newark: Factors of Emigration and Immigration,” WPA Ethnic Survey, 1939.