L.A. MEXICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY & CULTURE
GLOSSARY OF IDENTITIES
Below is a list of terms that people of Mexican descent use to describe their identity.
MEXICAN: a native or inhabitant of Mexico, or a person of Mexican descent
LATINO/A/X: a person of Latin American origin or descent
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HISPANIC: relating to Spain or to Spanish-speaking countries, especially those of Latin America
MEXICAN AMERICAN: a person of Mexican descent born or living in America
CHICANO/A/X: an American of Mexican origin or descent
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"By adopting “Chicano” or “Xicano,” activists took on a name that had long been a racial slur—and wore it with pride. And instead of only recognizing their Spanish or European background, Chicanos now also celebrated their Indigenous and African roots." - History
LANGUAGE
Caló language
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"a dialect that mixes English, Spanish, and Los Angeles Spanish slang." - Zoot Suit annotated script (linked on the Home page)
EAST LOS ANGELES
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"East Los Angeles is a unique environment, not just within context of the Southern California region, but as a national focus of growth, change, challenges and opportunities. Its history is a reflection of the multi-cultural growth pattern of the City of Los Angeles."
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The anti-Mexican sentiment continued well into the decade following the war, and Mexican Americans continued to suffer the consequences of displacement. As the center of city was being repopulated by U.S. settlers and some European immigrants, Mexicans were pushed up against and eventually for all purposes exiled to the other side of the river: East Los Angeles. The land had changed hands, parcels were redistributed, but development had yet to occur. However, the time was ripe. The rapid growth of the city, the advent of industry, growth of commerce and the coming of the railroad underscored the boom that captivated the city. A demand for labor, tradesmen, housing for all those newcomers, and the belief that the explosion would only get bigger, compelled the primary title holders to finally build a city in the space where wilderness grew -- East L.A. The region had a long-standing history of being a place where people passed through, and as such, the roads and small and sparse locales where people settled were easily incorporated into the master plan. - PBS
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An incredible timeline on their website (interactive site below): PBS​
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"By the onset of World War II, East Los Angeles was a nearly exclusively Latino community, soon reinforced by Mexican workers who arrived to man the machines in the area’s burgeoning war industries. Although the face of the city of Los Angeles and its surrounding communities has changed considerably, East Los Angeles has maintained this basic character throughout the last sixty years. As a result of its history as a long-standing Mexican American community, the area of East Los Angeles continues to be studied and documented by scholars from around the world." - L.A. County Public Libraries
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The next six most populous states—Florida, Georgia, Washington, North Carolina, Colorado, and Nevada—were home to an additional 13 percent of the Mexican-born population. The four counties with the most Mexican immigrants were Los Angeles County in California, Harris County in Texas, Cook County in Illinois, and Dallas County in Texas."
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"Within the United States, more than half of all Mexican immigrants live in one of two states: California and Texas." - Migration Policy