History of Mexican Americans in Los Angeles facts for kids
Mexican Americans have been a big part of Los Angeles since the city was founded in 1781. The first settlers, called Pobladores, included 44 people and 4 soldiers. Many of them were of Mexican descent. Today, about 31.9% of Los Angeles residents and 32% of Los Angeles County residents are of Mexican descent.
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History of Mexican Americans in Los Angeles
The city of Los Angeles has always had a strong Hispanic, mostly Mexican, culture. This presence began when the city was first settled in 1769.
Early Settlements and Growth
In 1784, a sub-mission called Nuestra Señora Reina de los Angeles Asistencia was started in the growing city of Los Angeles. Later, a Catholic church, La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora Reina de los Ángeles, was built in its place.
Mexican Americans have been one of the largest groups in Los Angeles since the 1910s. Many Mexican immigrants and Mexicans born in the Southwest US moved to Los Angeles. They came for the growing number of jobs between 1915 and 1960. This movement was highest in the 1920s and again during World War II (1941–45).
By 1970, about 815,000 Mexican Americans lived in Los Angeles. Some of them chose to call themselves Chicano in the mid-to-late 20th century.
Changing Neighborhoods
The city's first Mexican neighborhoods, known as barrios, were in the eastern part of the city. This included East Los Angeles. From 1970 onwards, more people from Mexico and Central America (like El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala) moved to Los Angeles. This led to more areas becoming Hispanic.
These new immigrants settled in the eastern and southern parts of the city. By 2000, South Los Angeles became mostly Mexican. This meant many African-American and Asian-American residents moved to other areas. Los Angeles is often said to have the largest Mexican population outside of Mexico. It also has the largest Spanish-speaking population outside of Latin America or Spain.
In 2007, it was thought that between 50,000 and 250,000 residents were from the Mexican state of Oaxaca. Montebello was the first Spanish settlement in Los Angeles County.
Mexican Americans in the 20th Century
1900s to World War I
Many Mexican immigrants first came to Los Angeles because of job contracts. These contracts were supported by the US and Mexican governments.
After World War I (1920s-1930s)
After World War I, there was a fear of communism in the US. This led to strong anti-immigrant feelings in Los Angeles. Some politicians and activists supported fair policies. However, local leaders in Los Angeles and California were more conservative.
In 1923, programs aimed at "Americanizing" immigrants were started. These programs wanted immigrants to adopt "the American way of life." They especially focused on Mexican immigrants. The main way they did this was by teaching English.
At first, these programs focused on Mexican men. But it was hard to teach them English because their farm work was seasonal. So, the programs then focused on Mexican women. Women were often in charge of the home and involved in schools. The goal was to train Mexican women for jobs like housemaids and seamstresses. They hoped that by making women more "American," Mexican culture would slowly fade away. For example, they tried to get families to eat bread instead of tortillas.
These efforts to change Mexican culture faced challenges. When Mexican immigrants did not become US citizens faster, the programs changed again. They started teaching American values in schools to Mexican-American children. Even with these programs, Mexican immigrants often faced unfair economic treatment. Their children also received a different education than white children.
World War II Era (1940s)
During World War II, there was a shortage of farm workers. This led to another wave of Mexican immigration to Los Angeles. The bracero program was a special agreement between the US and Mexican governments. It allowed Mexican farm workers to come to the United States for jobs. This program accidentally led to some people coming without official papers. This happened because the demand for workers was higher than the number of available contracts.
Mexican Americans in Los Angeles Today
As of 2010, about 2.5 million people in the Greater Los Angeles area have Mexican American roots. In 1996, Mexican Americans made up about 80% of the Latino population in the Los Angeles area. At that time, about 3,736,000 people of Mexican origin lived in the Los Angeles region.
Many second and third generation Mexican Americans are now moving out of Los Angeles. They are moving to nearby suburbs like Ventura County, Orange County, San Diego, and the Inland Empire, California. At the same time, new immigrants from Mexico and other Latin American countries have moved into East and South Los Angeles.
Some Asian immigrants have also moved into older Mexican neighborhoods. Starting in the late 1980s, Downey became a well-known Latino community in Southern California. Most of the people who moved there were middle or upper-middle class, and they were second and third generation Mexican-Americans. The Mexican population is also growing in the Antelope Valley, in cities like Palmdale.
Many suburban cities in Los Angeles County have large Mexican populations. These include Azusa, Baldwin Park, City of Industry, Duarte, El Monte, Irwindale, La Puente, Montebello, Rosemead, San Gabriel, South Gate, South El Monte, West Covina, Whittier, and especially Pomona.
Culture and Traditions
Mexican Americans in Los Angeles celebrate many holidays and have rich cultural traditions.
Holidays and Celebrations
They have celebrated Cinco de Mayo since the 1860s. This holiday marks a victory by the Mexican army. Along with other Spanish-speaking people, they celebrate the Day of the Three Wise Kings. This is a holiday where gifts are exchanged.
Another important holiday is Dia de Los Muertos (the Day of the Dead). This celebration usually lasts for three days. It is a time to remember and honor loved ones who have passed away.
Fashion and Movements
In the 1940s, Zoot suits were a popular style of clothing for Mexican Americans. Wearing these suits was a way to show rebellion against unfairness in society.
Los Angeles was a key center for the Chicano civil rights movement in the 1960s. This movement worked for equal rights and cultural pride. The Chicano art movement also grew from this time.
In the 1990s, the quebradita dancing style became very popular among Mexican Americans in Greater Los Angeles.
Cultural Centers and Films
The El Centro Cultural de Mexico is a cultural center located in Santa Ana. Plaza Mexico is another cultural spot, found in Lynwood.
Several films show the lives of Mexican American families in the Los Angeles area. Tortilla Soup and Real Women Have Curves are two examples. Another film, Stand and Deliver, tells the story of Mexican American high school students. It shows how they overcome school challenges with the help of their teacher, Jaime Escalante (played by Edward James Olmos).
Notable Mexican Americans from Los Angeles
Many famous Mexican Americans have come from Los Angeles. Here are some of them:
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