In the early 1940s, United States began to establish military bases in Puerto Rico. During World War II, more than 65,000 Puerto Ricans served in the U.S. military. Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company was established in 1942.
In the years after World War II, social, political, and economic changes began to take place to shape the island’s character today. In 1946, Jesús T. Piñero became the first Puerto Rican governor to serve the island. The U.S. Congress also passed an act allowing Puerto Ricans to elect their governor, and the first elections under this act were held on November 2, 1948.
Here are some fascinating color photos that show life in Puerto Rico in the 1940s. Also check, what Puerto Rico looked like in the 1930s.
