The book Brown in the Windy City analyses the critical role Puerto Ricans and Mexicans played in Chicago’s primary black and white society. Dr. Lilia Fernández writes about the many social challenges Latinos faced once immigrating to America to seek work, which became even more complex once their work became less demanded. During the 1950-60’s Puerto Ricans and Mexicans were uprooted from their decade old neighborhoods to make room for Chicagoan urban renewal programs. This displacement caused Latinos to struggle to form their own identities, which lead them to ambitiously try to pave their own way into America’s economic and political society. Latinos in Chicago always felt that they were the exclusion to the American Dream, as a result of
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Despite their belief in the American Dream and working under a formal labor contract, Mexican and Puerto Rican immigrants were not protected under domestic labor laws in the state of Illinois. The author explains how neither at the state or federal level were these laborers accessible to things such as “social security, minimum wage protection, maximum work hours, medical care, or accident insurance” most American were (pg. 48). Granting that all Americans were once immigrants, European immigrants have historically been able to assimilate into American culture much earlier than Latinos. “Mexicans discovered their Mexicanness when they encountered blatant racism and prejudice in employment…” (pg. 66). Mexicans and Puerto Ricans were never given the chance to apply for skilled work, although having similar education backgrounds to European immigrants who were climbing in social …show more content…
“The movement brought visibility on a national scale to a population that long had been a forgotten minority” (pg. 209). The Mexicans and Puerto Ricans knew that they needed to participate in politics in order for their political voice to be acknowledged. Dr. Fernández asserts that by this point in time, ones “Mexicaness” will not use in any way to further Latinos prejudice in education, police relations, and political acknowledgment. The leaders of the movement used their heritage to form a new unique Latin identity to initiate social change in their
Despite their belief in the American Dream and working under a formal labor contract, Mexican and Puerto Rican immigrants were not protected under domestic labor laws in the state of Illinois. The author explains how neither at the state or federal level were these laborers accessible to things such as “social security, minimum wage protection, maximum work hours, medical care, or accident insurance” most American were (pg. 48). Granting that all Americans were once immigrants, European immigrants have historically been able to assimilate into American culture much earlier than Latinos. “Mexicans discovered their Mexicanness when they encountered blatant racism and prejudice in employment…” (pg. 66). Mexicans and Puerto Ricans were never given the chance to apply for skilled work, although having similar education backgrounds to European immigrants who were climbing in social …show more content…
“The movement brought visibility on a national scale to a population that long had been a forgotten minority” (pg. 209). The Mexicans and Puerto Ricans knew that they needed to participate in politics in order for their political voice to be acknowledged. Dr. Fernández asserts that by this point in time, ones “Mexicaness” will not use in any way to further Latinos prejudice in education, police relations, and political acknowledgment. The leaders of the movement used their heritage to form a new unique Latin identity to initiate social change in their