Hispanic- aMERICANS

1. Hispanic-aMERICANS By: Sabrina Brown, Silvia Butler, Ashmanie U.

2. Early History of Hispanics • In 1920, most Hispanics lived in the Southwestern United States • Majority of immigrants came from Mexico and Puerto Rico. They became the source of cheap labor. • Mexicans lived in the Southwest and most were employed as migratory farm workers. While Puerto Ricans moved to New York. • They both lived in their own neighborhoods, which centered around the Roman Catholic Church. Both lived in poverty. • Many were from Hispanic families which owned land that was apart of the Southwest. • This part of land was in Mexico’s control and helped form the League of United Latin American Citizen

3. Turning Point • Despite income and language difficulties, change came with better rights for Hispanics in the mid 1960s • Cubans began to live in Florida, which lead to the altering of the political and social climate. • A movement began and was marked by the National Council of La Raza in 1968. Through this movement many tactics were drawn away from the African American civil rights movement. • Including sit-ins and boy-cotts, were used to attract publicity to their cause.

4. Key Groups • Many Hispanics relied on litigation to secure legal change. • Some key groups are the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), and the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Educational Fund. • The MALDEF was found in 1968 by members of the LULAC and NAACP LDF leader. • The purpose of the MALDEF is to bring forth more rights to Hispanics.

5. Important cASE • In 1973, the Supreme Court had refused to verify that a Texas law violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment • The law stated that each state was appointed a set dollar to each school district per pupil, • Under this law wealthier districts were able to still enrich educational programs from other funds, and therefore violated the 14th Amendment. • However in 1989, the MALDEF had won a case in which a state district judge elected by the voters of only a single county. • This would be the state’s entire method of financing public schools, to be unconstitutional.

6. Time line Mid 1960s: A wave of Cuban immigrants came to the U.S., which dramatically altered the political and social climate 1989: MALDEF won another case which proved how it was unconstitutional 1968: Key groups were founded and form. Some are the MALDEF, LULAC, and many others. 1920: Hispanics lived in Southwestern United States 1929: The League of United Latin American Citizens was formed 1968: The new movement established by the National Council of La Raza, drew many tactics away from African Americans civil rights movement. 1965: The MALDEF was successful in expanding the voting rights of Hispanics under the Voting Rights Act of 1965