Mexicans in Wisconsin

We're in the process of updating our website! Learn more about what that means and how you can help create history..

Sergio M. González

Trace the diverse journeys of Mexicans to the Upper Midwest and learn about the trials and triumphs of the generations of Mexican immigrants in Wisconsin.

144 pages, 6 x 9, 30 b&w photos
Paperback: $12.95 | ISBN: 978-0-87020-834-8
Ebook: $9.99 | ISBN: 978-0-87020-835-5
Publication Date: 10/27/2017

BUY

-

Description

From agricultural and factory workers to renowned writers and musicians, the Mexican immigrants who have made their homes in Wisconsin over the past century have become a significant and diverse part of this state’s cultural and economic history. Coming from a variety of educational and professional backgrounds, the earliest Mexican immigrants traveled north in search of better economic opportunities and relief from the violence and economic turmoil of the Mexican Revolution. They found work in tanneries and foundries, and on beet farms where they replaced earlier European immigrant workers who had moved on to family farms.

As Mexican immigration has grown to the present day, these families have become integral members of Wisconsin communities, building businesses, support systems, and religious institutions. But their experience has also been riddled with challenges, as they have fought for adequate working conditions, access to education, and acceptance amid widespread prejudice. In this concise history, learn the fascinating stories of this vibrant and resilient immigrant population: from the Tejano migrant workers who traveled north seasonally to work in the state’s cucumber fields, to the determined labor movement led by Jesus Salas, to the young activists of the Chicano Movement, and beyond.

Author Bio

Sergio M. González is Associate Professor of History at Marquette University. A historian of twentieth-century U.S. migration, labor, and religion, González has studied Latino communities in Wisconsin and beyond, with an emphasis on intersections between faith and social movements as well as the development of Latino communities in the Midwest.