Mexican American Immigrants
Thesis: When acts were passed, for or against Mexican Americans, Mexicans would continue to fight for their rights and against discrimination by protest and creating groups so Mexican Americans could
have a voice.
have a voice.
Important Program
The Bracero Program
allowed Mexicans to take temporary agricultural work in the United States. More than 4.5 million Mexicans were contracted to work in the US. The amount they were paid was scorned upon by many Americans. Several groups concerned over the exploitation of Bracero workers tried to repeal the
program.
allowed Mexicans to take temporary agricultural work in the United States. More than 4.5 million Mexicans were contracted to work in the US. The amount they were paid was scorned upon by many Americans. Several groups concerned over the exploitation of Bracero workers tried to repeal the
program.
Incoming Braceros had to be
fumigated before entering the United
States.
fumigated before entering the United
States.
In 1954 Eisenhower's administration launched a program that was meant to deport illegal immigrants. Police would sweep through Barrios seeking illegal immigrants. The raids were critized in the United States and in Mexico for intimidating people for simply looking "Mexican". The program failed to distinguish between illegal Mexican immigrants and Mexican Americans.
Economic
The economic development of northern Mexico and the southwestern U.S, at least 100,000 Mexicans had migrated to the U.S. by 1900. The outbreak of the Mexican Revolution in 1910 had increased the movement of people within Mexico and eventually across the border, a trend that continued for the first three decades of the 20th century.
Social
Mexicans were one of the main targets for discrimination. White trade unions claimed that Mexican immigrants were taking jobs that should go to white men, but in reality, a new supply of white refugees desperate for jobs was flooding California from the Midwest, making up the majority of the unemployed.
Political
In 1957 college students in San Antonio founded the Mexican American Youth Organization. MAYO would organize walk outs and demonstrations to protest discrimination. in 1968 a group of about 100 Mexican American students and teachers in East Los Angeles walk out of their classrooms to protest racism.
With MAYO's Success Gutiérrez ,the main founder of MAYO, was convinced to find a new political party call La Raza Unida, or "the United People" in 19169. La Raza promoted Latino causes and supported Latino candidates. By the early 1970s, it had elected Latinos to local offices in several cities.
World War I
Beginning of WWI 100,000 Mexican Americans immigrated to the South West.
They worked as farmers and ranchers. More Mexican Americans found opportunities in Chicago, St. Louis, and other places working in factories.
Mexicans faced hostility and discrimination when they arrived in American cities. They were thought of as less then and not as powerful or as worthy as a white man.
They worked as farmers and ranchers. More Mexican Americans found opportunities in Chicago, St. Louis, and other places working in factories.
Mexicans faced hostility and discrimination when they arrived in American cities. They were thought of as less then and not as powerful or as worthy as a white man.
they would also work in trades such as machinists, mechanics, painters and plumbers. These years had many employment opportunities for Mexicans because much of the U.S. labor force was overseas fighting the war.
Great Depression
The Great Depression hit Mexican immigrants especially hard. Along with the job crisis and food shortages that affected all U.S. workers, Mexicans and Mexican Americans had to face an additional threat: deportation. As unemployment swept the U.S., hostility to immigrant workers grew, and the government began a program of repatriating immigrants to Mexico.
Immigrants were offered free train rides to Mexico, and some went voluntarily, but many were tricked. Some U.S. citizens were deported simply on suspicion of being Mexican and, hundreds of thousands of Mexican immigrants, especially farmworkers, were sent out of the country.
Roaring 20s
There was a demand for labour and a swelled stream of immigrants kept coming into the united states. In 1924 Border patrol was established.
Progressive Era
Progressives allowed and held prejudice against both nonwhites and some groups of whites as well. Congress appointed the Dillingham Commission, named after the head of the commission, Senator William Dillingham, to study the problem of immigration. The commission’s findings were astep in leading to the immigration reduction laws passed in the 1920s.
US as a World Power
This period saw the beginning of the tendency of the United States to be “the police- man of the world” with its continual uninvited interference in the affairs of Latin American nations.
NHD
For my NHD project my topic was Heart Mountain. Mexican Immigrants and Japanese Americans actually have a lot in common. They both faced racial discrimination. They were both thought of as less then. One because they were thought to be taking "True Hard Working Americans" jobs, and the other because of a bombing.