Mexican Identity Essay

The Hispanic population in the U.S, would grow to vast numbers at great speeds, outnumbering other minorities, yet its size did not signify unity, as Latinos were no more unified than Indians, since they came from all walks of life with varying degrees of education, financial status as well as heritage. In spite of the numerous differences among Latinos, the same social barriers and legal obstacles would challenge a great deal of Hispanics, and spark self-awareness as well as the development of a Latino identity in America. The roots of many Hispanics in the U.S were in the immigration during the WWII period and beyond, as well as some whose descent dated back to early Spanish settlement in New Mexico, yet one of the most important groups, as well as the largest, would come to be Mexican Americans.

By the end of the 1960s, Mexican-Americans constituted one of largest ethnic groups on the western coast of the U.S, surpassing African Americans and continued to grow in other communities across the nation. Although many Hispanic Americans, often well-established and older families who had assimilated to a greater degree, were successful and held influential positions such as Cubans in Miami, newly arrived Mexican Americans were not as educated and often filled low-paying, unskilled service jobs, with little benefits or job security. This group of Mexican Americans closed off to the rest of American society due to language barriers, discrimination and lack of community organization would take much more time in developing political influence than other, established minorities. In the face of such societal obstacles to progress, many Latinos, inspired by the movements for Civil Rights and liberation of the 1960s, were empowered to organized to voice their political beliefs, and develop a stronger sense of their Hispanic