History of LA (up to 1995)
1900-1930
The first major wave of Latino immigration was primarily by Mexicans into the Southwest of the U.S. According to George J. Sánchez, Professor of American Studies and Ethnicity and History at the University of Southern California, “approximately one and a half million Mexicans migrated northward between 1900 and 1930, most settling in the Southwest.” Sanchez argues that it is undisputed by historians that the American Southwest held strong economic attractions for Mexicans in the first three decades of the 20th century (Sánchez, 18-19). This first true era of Latino immigration solidified the Latino presence in the United States and created communities and demographics that would serve as building blocks for the next century.
1930-1960
The second influx of Latino immigration came in two parts after a brief period of reduced immigration during the Great Depression. The first part came with the reopening of the southern border to Mexico, as historian David Gutiérrez examines in his essay about the history of Latino Immigration. He says with WWII taking up the U.S. labor force, “U.S. employer lobbies convinced the Federal Government to approach Mexico about the possibility of implementing an emergency bilateral labor agreement” (Gutiérrez). This program became known as the Bracero Program. It reopened the southern border, spurred huge amounts of imported contract workers, and “had the largely unanticipated effect of increasing both sanctioned and unsanctioned migration to the U.S. from Mexico” (Gutiérrez). This second major occurrence in Latino immigration further developed the Latino presence in the U.S. southwest, especially in areas that would become the booming metropolis of Los Angeles. It also served to create a generation of lower-income labor workers, which probably influenced later pride and political movements that would continue to shape and Latino L.A. culture for decades to come.
1960-Present
The U.S. Latino population has been steadily growing since 1960 and most likely will continue to for many years to come. Immigration reforms still remain an important part of the political scene. However, it is likely that, as a nation built on and by immigration, these trends will continue, refining the demographic landscape of L.A. and the U.S. as a whole.
The L.A. Chicano Movement (1966-1978)
Perhaps the most quintessential Latino movement is the Chicano Movement of Los Angeles during the late 1960s and early 1970s. This movement served to redefine Latino culture and presence in the southwest, and all over the country.
Foundations of the Chicano Movement
The Chicano movement started with Latino Baby Boomers, as Ernesto Chávez discusses in his book “Mi Raza Primero!” (My People First!): Nationalism, Identity, and Insurgency in the Chicano Movement in Los Angeles, 1966-1978. He examines how the Chicano youth of the 1960s and 70s, the children born in the post-WWII era, were profoundly effected by the Vietnam War due to “the amount of Mexicans fighting for the U.S.” (Chávez , 61). This led to a Chicano anti-war movement, and along with select violent protests and skirmishes, contributed to the growing momentum of the Chicano movement.
Important People of the Chicano Movement
The leaders and key individuals of the Chicano movement became figureheads for Latino identity for generations to come. An example of this is César Chávez, who fought and advocated for the Latino farm workers with his United Farm Workers union, or UFW. Through the UFW, Chávez advocated for nonviolent but rapid change, similar to that of Martin Luther King. After his death in 1993, similar to MLK, Chávez became an icon of the Chicano and Latino pride movements, especially for the labor force.
Elements of the Movement
An important part of the Chicano movement, first introduced by writer and activist Oscar Zeta Acosta, was the idea of Aztlán, or the land that the United States annexed from Mexico during the Mexican-American war. The popularization of Aztlán created a rift of meta-ethnicity which Chicanos of the time identified with; the sense of being the true inhabitants of that area.
The overall theme of the Chicano movement was Mexican American empowerment, but it soon began to apply to all U.S. Latinos. The Chicanos of L.A. promoted workers’ rights, political and anti-war activism, and Latino pride not only through organizations and demonstrations, but also through powerful art. The Chicano movement served to solidify the identity and presence of the Mexican-American community. But what’s more, it came to symbolize Latino culture and pride for the country, and continued to for years to come.
Uniqueness of L.A. Latino History
Los Angeles’s geographic location sets it apart from other major Latino metropoles such as New York City, Chicago, and Miami. Unlike those cities, L.A. actually belonged to Mexico until the mid 1800s. This fact contributes to many of the political and demographical aspects of Los Angeles that set it apart. It can be argued that the combination of political and demographic variables that led to the Chicano movement were a result of intense nationality was created by the dense history of L.A. Mexicans. The Chicano Movement, driven by the Mexican and Mexican Americans of L.A. proved to be a critical part of Latino U.S. Latino identity. It’s integral part in the history of L.A. sets it apart from other cities.
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