The complex history of a population shaped by shifting borders and broken promises
From the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo to the 1968 East L.A. walkouts, the Mexican American experience is defined by resilience. It is a story of people who remained in their homes even as national boundaries moved over them.
The identity of Mexican Americans is rooted in centuries of colonial history. Following the Spanish conquest, the territory was inhabited by various Indigenous groups before becoming a Spanish colony. By the mid-19th century, groups like the Californios and Tejanos lived in regions that would later become part of the United States. The 1848 treaty that concluded the Mexican–American War officially transferred these lands to the US, forcing residents to choose between their Mexican citizenship and becoming American citizens. While the treaty promised to protect existing property rights, many landowners, particularly Californios, lost their estates through expensive litigation and discriminatory tax laws.
Migration patterns have shifted significantly over time. The early 20th century saw a 'Great Migration' between 1910 and the 1930s, driven by the upheaval of the Mexican Revolution and economic opportunities. Later, the Bracero Program (1942–1964) brought an estimated 4.6 million Mexican workers to the US to address wartime labor shortages. However, the 1930s also saw a period of mass repatriation, where between 355,000 and 1,000,000 people were sent to Mexico. This campaign, overseen by US officials, often targeted even those with US citizenship, leading some legal scholars to describe it as a form of ethnic cleansing.
In the 20th century, the Chicano movement emerged as a powerful force for civil rights. A pivotal moment occurred in March 1968 with the East L.A. walkouts, where up to 20,000 students protested unequal education and a curriculum that ignored their heritage. Led by figures like Sal Castro, these protests demanded bilingual education and more Latino representation in schools. This era of activism, alongside labor struggles like the Delano grape strike, helped forge a distinct political and cultural identity that continues to influence the 38,990,058 Mexican Americans living in the US today.
Source: Mexican Americans
