History of Mexican Americans in Dallas–Fort Worth facts for kids
The Dallas-Fort Worth area has a fast-growing population of people with Mexican-American heritage. As of 2002, about 80% of all Hispanic and Latino people in this area were of Mexican origin.
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History of Mexican Americans in DFW
Mexicans have been an important part of Dallas since the city first started. The first large groups arrived in the 1870s to help build railroad lines. More people came after the Mexican Revolution began in 1910.
In 1920, over 3,300 Mexicans lived in Dallas. At that time, wealthier Mexican families often lived in an area called Little Mexico. Other immigrants lived near the railroad yards. Many people lived in difficult conditions during the early 1900s. After World War II, the Little Mexico area started to change.
By 2012, many wealthy Mexican families began moving to North Texas. This was partly due to a special investment program called EB-5. The close distance between Mexico and North Texas also made it easier for people to move.
Who Lives Here: Demographics
"Demographics" means studying the population of a place. In 2000, most foreign-born residents in Dallas (71%) came from Mexico. In McKinney, 64% of foreign-born residents were from Mexico. In Plano, it was 22%, and in Carrollton, it was 25%.
Education in DFW Schools
Over the last ten years, the number of Hispanic students has grown a lot. They are now the majority in many school districts in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. These include Dallas ISD, Fort Worth ISD, Arlington ISD, Irving ISD, Richardson ISD, Mesquite ISD, Garland ISD, Grand Prairie ISD, and Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD.
Where People Live: Geography
In 2000, 63% of ethnic Mexicans in Dallas County lived inside the Dallas city limits. Many Mexican families in Dallas live in affordable homes, especially in South Dallas. As of 2002, Mexican people lived in different parts of the DFW area. There were many in West Dallas, Oak Cliff, and Arlington.
Also in 2000, a large group of ethnic Mexicans lived north of Arlington. This area was south of Interstate 30. A smaller group lived in the cities between Dallas and Fort Worth, south of U.S. Highway 183.
Money and Businesses: Economy
As of 2012, there were about 20 flights every day between Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Mexico.
El Fenix is a popular Tex-Mex restaurant chain. It was started by Mike Martinez, a Mexican American, on September 15, 1918. Many people say El Fenix helped make Tex-Mex food popular across the U.S.
Pizza Patrón is another company based in Dallas. It sells pizzas to Mexican American families. Antonio Swad, who is not of Mexican heritage, started this company.
Famous People from DFW
Here are some well-known people with Mexican heritage who have lived in the Dallas-Fort Worth area:
- Selena Gomez (actress and singer) - She grew up in Grand Prairie and lived in Fort Worth.
- Demi Lovato (singer and actress) - She was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and grew up in Dallas.
- Omar Gonzalez (soccer player)
- Roberto Marroquin (boxer)
- Fernando Rodríguez (boxer)
