Debra Schleef
(University of Mary Washington)
and H. B. Cavalcanti
(James Madison University)
Definition of Hispanic or Latino Origin
2010 Census:
Hispanic origin can be viewed as the heritage,
nationality group, lineage, or country of birth of the
person or the person’s parents or ancestors before
their arrival in the United States.
People who identify their origin as Hispanic, Latino, or
Spanish may be any race.
Latinos in Dixie:
One or more of one’s grandparents born in Latin
America
Table 2. Greater Latinos by City and County (Counts and Percentage)
Counties
1990
%
2000
%
Charles City
38
0.6
45
0.6
Chesterfield
2,099
1.0
7,617
2.9
Dinwiddie
197
0.9
237
0.9
Goochland
43
0.3
144
0.9
Hanover
330
0.5
847
1.0
Henrico
2,220
1.0
5,946
2.3
New Kent
91
0.9
176
1.3
Powhatan
37
0.2
184
0.8
982
3.5
1,625
4.9
Colonial Heights
199
1.0
274
1.6
Hopewell
435
2.0
651
2.9
Petersburg
373
0.9
463
1.4
Richmond
1,744
0.8
5,074
2.6
Total
8,788
1.1
23,283
2.3
Prince George
Cities
Source: Bureau of the Census, 1990 and 2000.

Face to Face Interviews (~100 Questions)
English, Spanish, and Portuguese

Quantitative Sample of Hispanic Surnames
(N = 173)

Qualitative Snowball Sample (N = 130)

Overall N = 303

Conflation of race and ethnicity
[U.S. Census Bureau: Latinos “confused”]

Race as biological, cultural, social context
◦ “la raza”
◦ [Rodriguez, Changing Race, 2000]

Hispanic:
42%

Latino:
13

Gave country of origin:
31

American:
14






Hispanic/Latino/a:
White:
Black:
Color descriptor
Mestizo
Ancestry term
25%
39%
3%
8%
7%
9%
Fitting In

“I’m very happy with life in Richmond,
satisfied with all aspects of my life. I
have never experienced any
discrimination, although I look
Hispanic. People accept me, even
though it may not be as an equal.”
“The Civil War consumes Richmond, and Richmond is a big
backwards. Richmond is stuck in history. Richmonders are
very proud, and don’t see the need to move on. It has a
misunderstood sense of importance.”
“The city itself is divided. Some revel in the Rebel flag. [I say],
accept being American together with all other Americans,
since the only ones that truly belong here are the American
Indians. If bigger cities can accept that, why not Richmond?”
“One horse town. The thinking is small and the prejudices are
big.”
Emphasis on Symbolic Ethnicity (Mary Waters, 1990)
Two Chambers of Commerce
American Hispanics of Richmond Association (AHORA)
La Asociacion de Hispano-Americanos de Richmond
(AHAR)
Pan-ethnic identity or “generic” label ?

“When you speak of Latin Americans, think of
British / Australian / American. We speak the
same language, but we’re all different! We will
even talk about each other—we have internal
pride, and our own ethnicities. Generalizing is
tough.”
[Colombian immigrant]




Anti-immigrant bias
Anti-Mexican bias
Social Class
“Many Hispanics come here and expect the
U.S. to adapt to their wants and need. For
example, [in terms of] learning English, some
families teach only Spanish in their home. If
they liked it that much, stay there.” (31year
old Salvadoran immigrant)

Some concluding thoughts:
◦ Magnified role of class in ethnic integration
◦ Paths for traditional, minority-identified, and selective
acculturation
◦ Class divisions prohibit a sense of pan-ethnic solidarity
◦ Symbolic ethnicity and emphasis on middle class cultural
events actually is not costless