History of Mexican Americans

The history of people of Mexican descent in the United States, shaped by territorial conquest, migration, community formation, labor, political struggle, and cultural life.

Connect

Mexican Cession: The 1848 transfer of vast Mexican territories to the United States under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. It placed many Mexican residents within the United States without requiring them to cross a border.
César Chávez: A labor leader who co-founded the United Farm Workers and organized agricultural workers in the 1960s and 1970s. His campaigns linked Mexican American labor organizing with national civil-rights politics.
Mendez v. Westminster: A 1947 federal court case that ruled against segregating Mexican American children in California public schools. It shows how families used litigation to challenge unequal schooling.
East Los Angeles Blowouts: A series of 1968 student walkouts protesting unequal conditions in Los Angeles schools. The walkouts made educational inequality a central Chicano Movement issue.
Chicano: A political and cultural identity adopted by many Mexican Americans, especially during the Chicano Movement. Its movement-era force differs from broader labels based primarily on ancestry or national origin.
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo: The 1848 treaty that ended the Mexican-American War and established the U.S.–Mexico boundary. Its citizenship and property provisions shaped the status of Mexicans in the annexed territories.
Dolores Huerta: A labor leader and civil-rights activist who co-founded the United Farm Workers. Her organizing and negotiation helped build farmworker power and broaden women’s leadership.
United Farm Workers: A labor union formed in 1962 that organized agricultural workers, especially in California. Its strikes and boycotts turned farm labor conditions into a national political issue.
Chicano Moratorium: A 1970 antiwar march in East Los Angeles protesting the Vietnam War and disproportionate Latino military casualties. It united antiwar activism with demands for Mexican American political visibility.
Hispanic: A U.S. demographic label for people with origins in Spanish-speaking countries or cultures. Its broad official use can obscure the specific histories of Mexican-origin communities.