ERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LATINO HISTORY bring their families with them and had, therefore, less of a desire soy Te hr premise hat the Spano oe Aas snd native peoples gen ‘thelr physiques and} tonalies and had Sher cal atladestovdrdileracal sod interethnic unions and hybrid. The Engl, whose wey wat dominated by clas hierarchy, which wat ted to herd able ‘blood lines), and for whom spward molality was rarely an option, asserted and preserved thei wcal nats through cst segregre tion and distancing, Naturally, they rejected the notion of rac and ethic integration, wherein ly cain soil demotion, Of Course, hi isnot wo say that once in the New Word the pre and prejudice ofthe upper class behind them, the English di fc: Fine on errome etl psn apt intermingling with Afticans and Native Americans as a cus face acows North America reveals Mexican Americans “The history of Mexico and that ofthe United States are so inextri- cably linked that these nations have been compared to Siamese twins who, before enduring a radical and painful separation, Shared the same heart. Mexican Americans are not an ethnic mi- rnority who merely cossed U.S-Mexico borders and then, by slow assimilation, became incorporated into the great American mo- fic. They have ancestral roots in part of the territory within the Boundaries of what now constitutes the United States, tha is, the areas that formerly belonged to Mexico. As the saying goes ‘among Tejanos, Texans of Mexican origin, “We never crossed 2 border. The border crossed us.” Who are the Chicanos? ‘The word “Chicano” is derived from mexicano, meaning “Mexi- an” and was original pejorative term used by both Anglos cary ad was orginal © Plots scancbom eked werk‘matter how many centuries their families have lived in the territory that is now the United States, are liable tobe labeled Chicanos. ‘When Mexican American civil rights leader César Chaver lator revolt in the 1960s, Mexican Amersane ‘en pe ce ne iat roca oc: the proce such at “Chicano” at ter own ‘raced hem of ther nyave connotations, Mary Mesa “Americans began calling themselves Chicanos o asset their ethnic ‘pride and show their solidarity with a raza—the people. Who are the Anglos? “To Mexican Americans, as well as to other Latinos, the term “An- lo docs not fer srl to Americans of Anglo-Saxon descent all European Americans. Thus Ttlian Ameri cans and Hungarian Americans qualify as Anglos even if ‘ot have a drep of AngiosSaxon blood courting through Who are the gringos? “Gringo was originally the Mexican word for a foreigner of En fish Sr Angle aipericn descent Some Mexican Americans use "Green, go away.”4 ATIME OF TROUBLES: ISMEXICAN AMERICA, 1920-50 When did the United States begin policing the border with Mexico? 'eJEQ4 US. innit lv wee put nas ht tabled ‘uoias for people entering the country from various past of he ord, Northern Eutopes were fered Southern Bese ould gain entry in imited number. Almost all Asana? ae fxchuded, Hovever, no quotas were csubliined for fom the Western Hemisphere, thus enabling Mexico, duet is [fins obeome te Uted State ingesc uppe of cap ae ice Mase independence fom Spin in Iogear Medias cexing ors ‘ecking to improve their fot elo th pie ew hn eon Coun of ee ly pa al ce ee So, too, ‘efuges lecing the many up- Bem dig ede eect EN ‘impose immigration quotas seeking to enter the U.S. territory, that year it did make showing. proof of identity and other documentation a mandatory require: Bent to gain legal enty. Many Menicans entered the United States legally, ut others viewed the paperwork as an impediment and began dodging the border patrol. Before long, the term “lle. vocabulary. ‘al immigrant” entered the American’ Why do Mexican Americans say that the United States was built on their backs? Beaton ho fd te asian Rolain fr be Und Slates were accustomed to ‘appalling living grate justo ber 1047 and then from December 1048 to December 1964— ‘brought millions of Mexican nationals to the United States as temporary workers. The U'S. government iniated the fint Bracero Program in 1942 in response to the labor shortage that developed when America's men and women went off to fightin ‘World War Tt or to labor in arms factories forthe war effore Dut ing the frst Bracero Program, about x quarter of a million bracers were hired to work seaonally im agriclsre in the United States, asthe cropr required. A contract ely lasted one year Some braceros ound themscivesrecurning year ater Yea © torn the same region and even forthe same employer. “The second phase ofthe Brace Program was much more ambitious in terms of numbers. From 1948 unl the beginning of the Viewam War more than 45 million Mexican national eame to tol in the United States, most migrating seasonally to plant tnd harvest erops. Braceros accounted for 29 pereent of al fren workers in the United Sttes while the second Braco Program tras in effec, and their work greatly beneited the tates of Texas, California, Arizona, New Mesico, Colorado, Arkantas, and Michi- fan. Thoveands also drove trucks that delivered crops and manu Flerured goods to American marketplaces or worked on the Southern Faifi Raond, despite opponion by US, labor. Before the Bracero Program, Mercan nationals tolling in the United States had tolerated deplorable conditions and fle pay—and tometimes none at al, the way of indentured ser- fant, When ironing ot the details ofthe Bracero Program, the Mexican goverament stipulated thatthe United States hed to en sure thatthe itinerant Mexican workers would arn no less Chan the minimum wage, that their health and wellbing would be protected, that labor practices would be fai and thatthe workers oui height oak al acto aan Anes et loyers refusing to comply with the above The labor Thortge during Word War Il, coupled bythe hue and cry over {he illegal deportation of Mexican Americans during the Grest 92 pted the US. Mexican America government 10 agree Depresion, prompted dnc Mexican worker base ab a or he books ay, employers treated the bracerosi t i i ' yews CROSSING THE BORDER ; MEXICAN MIGRATION ‘AND IMMIGRATION. 1965 to present How have Mexicans entered the United States” ‘since the Bracero Program ended? The Program ended in December 1964, having afforded lions of Mexians with dial job prospects in Mexico the op: ity to secure employment in ceorts more rend eee oe tated Sates to live permanently orto work temporarily. They have en- tered the country as legal inumigrants with green card 2s border CSmmuters with green card, living in Mexico but working legally Gn the U.S. side of the border; as border commuters with border ‘Goming cards, who are permited to enter but forbidden to work 9EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LATINO HISTORY, inthe United States, and so work legally as guest worker, who are mostly agricultural laborers holding seasonal jobs on farms, for which they are granted temporary agricultural wrk vas and as undocumented ‘who eros the U.S.Mexico border ilegally and work illegally in the United States, phenomenon of America’s undocumented Mexican ‘population is rather eay to explain. Ever since the Bracero Pro fram ended in December 1964, smallacale US. guese-workar Programs, jus ating faction of Mexican transnational ‘pbteskrshvebee the no, The abencen 1864 of an oe ‘ized, lagecale guestworker program to replace the behemoth Bracco Program, coupled wit new restitions on immigration adopted in 1965~which imposed numerical imitations, making itaficult for Mexican unsblled and semiskled workers to pros cure US. labor eerficaton—unleahed a tremendous wave of lundogumented Mexican immigration, which continaes unabated to this day. (A hey provision of the 1905 immigration policy, re lated to family reunification, exempted Mexican with Cose fla: tives in the United States Fom the law's numerical imistions taking cae them cer he United Sas) Sete 3¢ Bracero Program, millions of Mexicans desperate fora Paycheck have had no other alternative but to croe into the United States as undocumented immigrants and find work on their own, Ie shouldbe noted that over the decades a sizable pro portion of undocumented immigrants have not been ster bu Sojourners, making tips across the border to take tempor) oF seasonal obs inthe United States and then returning to Mexico Wiile the crossing into the United States i 2 potential death tap. the seam tip o Meno har araye been 2 tere or the Undocumented, who drive fy and walk aos the bord, vr y without ‘By 1980 the INS was apprehending some one million undoc- uumented Mexicans annually In an effort to stem the flow of un documented. Mexicans over the border, the US. government tnacted the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1988, which provided amnesy to undocumented immigrants continaou present in the United States since 1982 but alo mbjected US. Employers to penalties if they hired undocumented iinmigrans Lact Mela ahr was etal tothe ce ofthe bus nesses that American employers en ase simply guored the Imm migration Reform and Control Act ‘and’ continued hiring 100 Mexican Am: caer. inc pe nor of be brn ere ad Sea ce a Fo S208 il mater trp On rc Mein ao shove i SE erence Cons Nan agian prema, Sa a ee Tn te sb a : Dn yr 00 ser decade fa or aa om 00 ae oe a, peer ogra Ane alpen sian eg etc bere uc tr, Und Sa ol tert he ry hg ae oS Mein pete: nes Fx ond Pret Gone Pt Feet enn A a cing ema el eB al Ree ee ee Si ao tanks een a a lon Mean ri ie pasa Ir gpa eel See re el lyn 304 rae a pee 3 lami ey ee at old go eg mr pd ER on Jay 1204 empor t i afte fr 9 ah Pe a fe lm Shen pr foc aca foe of song Anat pa =p to ee an aa che Unie Sa, I 00 a Fe ne ect How have undocumented Mexican immigrants made it over the border? {In the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, some undocumented Mexican immigrants commonly crossed the border without guides, an 01by instructing them ow how to secure = quamty commer their children. Who was César Chives? ho rove fom the agrcdtrl valley of Yaa Att roe cara valley of Mana, Arotoytorgse ne Americas fit success fartvorkers union, Robert E Kennedy once deserved the agrarian labor leader as “one ofthe here igures of our time.” "Born on March 81, 1927, Céar Chives spent his etl years on his family’s small farm near Yuma, Arizona. During the Great Depron, his parent lost thi land, andthe fry moved 0 to labor in the fields as migrant workers César joined his parents, harvesting carrots, cotton, and grapes under the ‘burning sun wherever they could find work. The family pulled up rakes s0 often that young César atended over thirty elementary 107i {YTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LATINO HISTORY schools, many segregated, and then dropped out in the seventh rade to harvest crops fll me. Aer serving in the U.S. Navy during World War Tl, Chévex settled in Delano, California, where he met Helen Fabela, whom ‘he married in 1948. Tt was here that he resolved to help his peo pile out ofthe miserable working conditions they had accepted for {Renerations. In 1952 Chaves joined the Community Service Or- fanization (CSO), which was formed in 1947 by Antonio Rios, ‘Edward R. Roybal, and Fred Ross Sr, and was devoted to build- ‘ing a unified Latino voting bloc and fostering Latino pol representation as a strategy to ending prejudice and diserimina- tion aimed at Mexican Americans. Chaver's job was to register Mexican Americans in San Jose, California, to vote, and to serve 25 thr advocate before welare board imgaticn authorities, and the police. In 1858 Mexican American Dolores Huerta be- ‘ame his principal assistant. ‘By the early 1960s, César Chavez had turned hhis full atten- tion to the plight of exploited Mexican American farmworkers, ‘who worked for extremely low wages, enjoyed no seniority rights or fringe benefits, and had no power to confront their bostes’ abuses or unfair labor contracts. in 1962 Chavez left the CSO to form a union, the Farm Workers Association (FWA), which was the forerunner ofthe National Farm Workers Assocation (NFWA). By 1965 he had recruited 1,700 families and had persuaded two large California growers to raise the wages of migrant workers. A year later the NFWA merged with the Agricultural Workers Orga ‘izing Committee (AWOO), an organization of primarily Filipino farmworkers that was led by Larry Tiong in Delano, to form the United Farm Workers Onganizing Committee (UFWOC). ‘The UFWOG went to work immediately picketing table- {in Delano who paid unfair wages. This marked the ‘of La Higa (The Strike), a strike against grape grow- cers in California's San Joaquin, Imperial, and Coachella valleys, ‘which lasted five years and raised America's consciousness about the horrendous conditions and slave wages Mexican and Mexican American farmworkers had endured in the United States for ‘many decades. To gain support for his cause, which he called La Causa, César Chévex staged hunger suikes, peaceful marches, ‘and sing-ins, in the spirt of the Indian political and spiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi. He also had himself and UFWOC ‘members arrested in order to garner attention. 108 Mexican Ameri h he was a rather meck and self-effacing person, lay not 20 much in public speaking as in leading, ‘was able to rouse the multitudes with his deeply felt "Oregon const 10 the rivers ad dales of enneyvana, Sup- pared yo and reed wo by Caitria le ape Straight years, Prien, nuns, rabbi, Presa instr Unionist, writers ats college students, schocldhldren, and ine foental polis, including Habere and Robert Kennedy, ent their suppore, demanding long-overdue justice Menicay and Mexican American farmers: 10, afer sng slo of last La Hg, the Catfornia grape growers capitulated, agrecing to grant rights to ories and orale tet minimum wage Itwas the Brst of many Thcretial boycots that César Chver was to lead on behalf of trepe pickers, letuce pickers, and ll the other disenfranchised ‘groups so dear to his heart. Chavez believed in fairness, equality, all people he fought for vl right for ‘women ad, in later jars, for gays and les fans In 1975 dhe Calfornia legisatore pased the st collecive Tanaining at fr farmworkers in the coainental United States, arin lange meaiure to Car Chavers efforts. La Casa bad is thareofwibacks after that fre victory in 1970, and membership in the UFV, asthe UFWOC wa reoumed in 1972, waned, but Mesican ‘Apericans never los faith in César Chéver, ther Teloved leader, whom they Hhened to ‘Moses, bringing them fron the desert into a land of posses, with greater justice ral. ‘César Chaver’s untimely death on April 28, 1998, atthe age of siiyaix, ected eulogis and expremons of bereavement ffom natial and international leaders and an obituary on the font page of the New Wort Tine Since his death, dozens of schooly irae, set, park and other public spaces across the nation have been renamed in his honor. in 1994, ata White House ceremony, President Bil Clinton posthumouly awarded César Chaver the Medal of Freedom, the naon's highest cian fonor A decade lates, in 2008, the Unived States esta Service toned this eruader for social change with posage samp. Hight states (Arona, Calforia, Colondo, ‘Michigan, New México, Texas, Uah, and Wisconsin) have declared March 31 an tffial holy in honor of Cesar Chaver. 109 md ity d opportuni(On this day we do not take la siesta / While Zozobra burns the loom away") Why do Mexican Americans / celebrate Cinco de Mayo? | Cinco de Mayo (the Fith of May) commemorates Mexico's resis. {ance to and ultiateUbcralion from, the Reach mary occi- fon of the 1860 the brainchild of Napoléon I, On this day 1862, Mexican forces, Whe beterarmed French xp int Bate oul Whe he rec rent on ode {fat Mexican government forces and to install he Hapsburg arch- dike Ferdinand Maximilian of Austria as emperor of Mexico in Spr 1864 the victory at Picbla emboldened Mexico's freedom Biers who refused fo recogaize Maximalan’s goverment and entinued to battle the reach ocopaion. Up against Mexican Seritanee and US, opposition to French meddling in Mexico, Napalion it ple i ores ou of Mexico i 188 and ged Maman to leave the county Mazdmlian refused to relingus ma ay etcaapatl in Moa and czeted by + ng squad, It should be added that Cinco de Mayo has nothing to dew Mexican independence fom Spanish rule feat that celebrated on September 16. ‘inco Ge Mayo is minor holiday in Mexico, but in the United State, iste biggest Medean American secular elebra- ton ofthe ye. On Cinco-de Mayo, Mexican American in towns fad clues wih sable Mexican American communities showcase iets eatural hestage at fewas fetoring mariachi bands, folk dancing, parades, csdidonal ar and cals, and Mexican food find dri Since the mid-1980, this holiday has rapidly gained {popularity among all Americans, and just as everyone Irish u's? Pures Daf on Cinco de’ Mayo, Anglos vara Mexican Greright and join in the revelry. Since ting fice, President 'W, Bush has celebrated Ginco de Mayo at the White lout each year txtmony tothe face hat this holiday has taken root in mainsueam Ameria. What's acharreada? ‘A charreade is « Mexican rodeo, one that is typically more danger- ‘ous than its American descendant, the Western rodeo. (Inciden- tally, rodeo is a Spanish word meaning “a gathering place for 3