Mexicans in Chicago facts for kids
The Chicago metropolitan area is home to a large and vibrant Mexican American community. This community has a rich history, growing from early immigrants to becoming one of the largest Mexican populations outside of the Southwestern United States.
Contents
A Look Back: History of Mexicans in Chicago
The first Mexicans arrived in Chicago before the 1900s. They were often entertainers or people traveling for work. A bigger wave of Mexican immigrants came to Chicago in the mid to late 1910s.
Early Immigrants and Work Life
Most of these early immigrants were men. They came from places like Texas, Guanajuato, Jalisco, and Michoacán in Mexico. They often worked in jobs that needed some skill or no special skills. After the 1920s, fewer people immigrated directly from Mexico. Instead, many Mexicans moved to Chicago from other parts of the Southwestern United States.
Population Changes and Challenges
By the end of the 1930s, the Mexican population in Chicago dropped. This was because many people returned to Mexico after the Great Depression. However, by 1941, the population grew again. During the 1940s, many Mexican workers called braceros came to Chicago. They became an important part of the Mexican American community.
Growth and Political Action
By 1950, about 35,000 Spanish-speaking people lived in Chicago. This group included both Mexicans and Puerto Ricans. In 1960, about 23,000 Chicagoans were born in Mexico. By 1970, this number grew to over 47,000. Chicago had the fourth-largest Spanish-speaking population in the U.S. at that time. Most of these Spanish speakers were Mexican. From 1960 to 1970, the number of Chicagoans with at least one Mexican-born parent increased by 84%. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Mexican Americans in Chicago became more involved in politics.
Who Lives Here: Demographics
The Mexican American population in Chicago and its surrounding areas has grown a lot. From 1990 to 2000, the number of Mexican Americans in Cook County, Illinois increased by 69%. In the City of Chicago itself, the number grew by 50% during the same time. This growth meant Chicago had more Mexicans than cities like Houston and San Antonio.
Mexican Population Numbers
In 2000, about 786,000 people in Cook County were of full or partial Mexican background. This made it the largest Mexican population in the U.S. outside of the Southwest. It was also the third-largest Mexican population in any county, after Los Angeles and Harris counties. The number of Mexicans in Cook County was even larger than the populations of some major cities in Mexico. Over 350,000 of these residents lived in the City of Chicago. By 2010, the number of people with Mexican origins in Cook County reached over 961,000. This included 578,100 residents in the City of Chicago.
Where They Live: Geography of Mexican Neighborhoods
Mexican neighborhoods in Chicago include Pilsen and Little Village. Pilsen was a historic neighborhood for new immigrants. It was first home to Germans, Irish, and later Czechs and other Slavic groups. Mexicans began moving into Pilsen in the 1950s.
Pilsen and Other Areas
In the 1990s, 40% of the Mexican population in Pilsen had moved there directly from Mexico. About one-third of all Mexicans in the Chicago area lived in Pilsen at that time. Mexicans also settled in the Near West Side, near Hull House. They attended the St. Francis of Assisi church. Many residents from the Hull House area later moved to Pilsen or to suburbs when the University of Illinois Chicago was built in the 1960s.
Work and Community in Different Neighborhoods
In the 1920s, many Mexicans in Back of the Yards worked in meatpacking plants. The first Mexican church in that area opened in 1945. Mexicans also moved to South Chicago after the 1920s. They lived in specific neighborhoods and were part of the working class. By the 1940s, they joined local labor unions.
Community Power: Institutions and Organizations
The National Museum of Mexican Art is an important cultural center in Pilsen. After the 1920s, Mexicans in Chicago focused on improving their neighborhoods. They also created their own organizations.
Mutual Aid and Support Groups
Many fraternal organizations and mutual aid groups, called mutualistas, were formed. These groups helped promote positive views of Mexicans. They also gave financial help to families dealing with death, unemployment, or illness. These groups also encouraged Mexican pride.
Promoting Education and Future Success
By the mid-20th century, new organizations were created. The Committee on Mexican American Interests encouraged Mexican American students to go to college. They also helped promote the G.I. Bill after World War II. This committee worked with the Mexican Community Committee of South Chicago. They found students who could receive scholarships and apply to universities. They did this by asking high school teachers in Mexican neighborhoods for student names. The Mexican Community Committee of South Chicago and the Mexican Civic Committee of the West Side worked with LULAC. They all encouraged Mexican American youth to value education. These newer groups worked with existing systems to promote education. They did not try to create their own separate schools.
Making a Difference: Politics
Even though Mexicans are the largest Hispanic and Latino group in Chicago, they have less political representation than Puerto Ricans in the city. This means they have fewer elected officials in government.
Learning and Growing: Education
The creation of the Benito Juarez Community Academy in Pilsen was very important. It was inspired by the Chicano Movement. This movement wanted more recognition for Mexican American history and identity.
Benito Juarez Community Academy
During the school's opening ceremony, a sculpture of Benito Juárez and the flag of Mexico were shown. Both the U.S. national anthem and the Mexican national anthem were played. The ceremony was held on September 16. This date is the anniversary of the Cry of Dolores, which is Mexico's independence day. It also happens to be near the start of the school year in Chicago.
Notable Residents
- Sandra Cisneros (author of The House on Mango Street) - Chicago
- Gonzalo P. Curiel (federal judge) - East Chicago, Indiana
- Teresa Fraga (community organizer)
- Luis J. Rodriguez (author of Always Running)
