Hispanic / Latino Americans—Lecture Outline
Issues for Consideration during group discussion:
1. Panethnicity & labels & Identity: What groups make-up Hispanics/ Latinos? What label(s) do people prefer? Any
differences among groups (foreign born vs, US born)? (Ch.9)
2. What is the Economic Status of Hispanics / Latinos overall? Compared to whites and blacks? (Ch 9)
3. What is the SES of Hispanics sub-groups -- Cuban Americans and South Americans Vs. Mexican
Americans, Puerto Ricans, & Central Americans (Chs. 9 &10)
4.What are Latinos, political tendencies (parties, voter turnout)? (ch 9)
5. Maquiladoras on border, remittances & home town clubs – what are they & how much have they helped Mexicans &
related to immigration? (ch. 9)
6. How long does it take for Latinos to lose Spanish language ability (speak English only) -- & compared to other
immigrant groups? (ch. 9)
7. Immigration / Migration to US History -- Reasons for & How immigrants were Treated
Compare: Cuban Americans, Central Americans, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans (Chs. 9 &10)
Mexican Americans-Ch. 10, unless noted otherwise:
8. How did Mexican Americans become outsiders in the own land? (conquest…)
Tejanos in South Texas – what is their relationship to the land? How are Tejanos a complex mix of outsider and
American? Why is new border wall offensive to some? (Garcia web rdg.)
9. What is the history of Mexican immigration to the US? –laborers, repatriation, braceros, mojados / “Operation
Wetback,” illegal immigration – Immig. enforcement affect Mexican Americans?
10. Who is Cesar Chavez & what did he do?
11. Political movements --Chicanismo (what is it?), & what is MALDEF
Puerto Ricans—ch. 10:
12. Puerto Rico Colonial Status & history -- & now commonwealth vs. statehood vs. independence
13. Puerto Rican Racial categories (Color Gradient) – how do they differ from mainland US?
14. What is Ed status of Mexican Americans and Puerto Ricans, & what is the role of Family & Religion for these
groups
15. How are Hispanic, specifically Puerto Rican, women treated differently by white non-Hispanics? What sort of
stereotypes come into play? Where do these come from? How does this limit opportunities for Hispanic
women? (Cofer Rdg. #8 in H&A)
Lecture & most group discussion points:
Size and origin of largest Hispanic sub-groups (Schaefer ch 9)
Key role of contemporary immigration in make-up of Hispanic population
Pan-ethnicity identity of Hispanic / Latino label Vs. Country of Origin & American identity
(Schaefer ch 9)
Socio-Economic Status (SES) data (from Schaefer Ch. 9 & 10) on Hispanics and key sub-groups.
Note patterns in data (not exact #’s) –some of similarities and differences between main sub-groups -Cuban Ams. & South Americans, compared to Mexican Ams., Puerto Ricans, & Central Ams.
Language Assimilation data—How long does it take Hispanics to move fmo immgrants to English speakers?
Compared to other immigrant groups? (Schaefer Ch. 9)
Video clip from “Faces of America” – on Eva Longoria’s family history – Mexican American
How various Hispanic sub-groups came to be part of the US? (drawing together info. from Schaefer) – Via
War/Conquest & Immigration, key role of US policies in this.
Mexicans – Conquest , plus later immigration (long, cyclical contradictory history of immgn. & US response)
(Schaefer ch. 10)
-- US immigration policy & Mexican immigrants (contradictory – welcoming & hostile) 18481924 (open), 1930s deportations/repatriation, 1942-64 Bracero program / labor recruitment,
1953-54 “Op. “wetback,” 1965-present including 1986—88 Amnesty for undocumented
immgs. (Schaefer ch. 10 & a little extra from me)
Puerto Ricans – Conquest / colonial status, plus citizenship & later migration to mainland. (Schaefer ch.
10)
Cubans – More for political reasons – US Response more welcoming “Wet Foot/Dry Foot” policy.
(Schaefer ch. 9)
Central Americans -- More for political reasons (US role)– US Response not welcoming generally
Especially important large group in this are El Salvadorans. (Schaefer, ch. 9)
Dominicans (from the Dominican Republic) -- More for political reasons (US role)– US Response not
welcoming generally
History of conflict between Mexican Americans and Anglos after Treaty of Gaudalupe Hidalgo in 1848 through
early 2oth century (Schaefer Ch. 10). 1915 uprising of Texas Mexicans / Tejanos, & brutal repression
of it. Reasons for uprising? Land dispossession…(Garcia web rdg.)
Immigration policy – contrast how Cubans are treated vs. all other Latino immigrants—Uneven Use of refugee
label. See: Wet Foot/Dry Foot” policy. (Schaefer ch. 9)
Immigration – Latino portion of US immigrants (lecture only)
Latino Population and Immigrant portion of it, and undocumented / illegal portion of immigrant pop.
Fear of Deportation & Immigration questioning by authorities
Mixed Status families / Households (Schaefer ch. 10)
Discrimination towards Hispanics / Latinos (lecture only) – data on this, how often, etc.
The importance of family life and religion to Hispanics, in general. (Schaefer ch. 10)
Puerto Ricans citizens, but those on Island cannot vote in US elections – commonwealth status, legacy of
colonialism
“Color gradient” as way of seeing /categorizing races, esp. in Puerto Rico (Schaefer, ch. 10)
Puerto Rican Women face burden and obstacles of stereotypes (sexual and occupational) and
misinterpretations / culture class (re: styles of dress, etc.) (Cofer rdg. 8 in H&A)
Mexican Americans (Schaefer ch. 10)
Chicano Civil Rights movement 1960s and 1970s
Cesar Chavez—key Mexican American leader & what he did.
Did discuss in class. Or very little, but you should know:
“Culture of Poverty” theory and critique of it. (Schaefer, ch. 10)
remittances & home town clubs – what are they & how much have they helped Mexicans & related to
immigration? (ch. 9)Puerto Ricans (Schaefer ch. 10)
-- A little on PR colonial history & acquisition by the US
-- Migration to mainland and SES status & general experience on mainland