Mexicans in San José

Since the founding of California's El Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe in 1777, people of Mexican ancestry have contributed to make San José a rich cultural, political, and economic epicenter. Mexican miners who worked in the local mines helped San José become one of the top mercury producers in the world. In the 20th century, Mexicans labored in the Valley of Heart's Delight, as the Santa Clara Valley region was called, picking, canning, drying, and packaging fruits and vegetables for America's dinner table. They paid homage to their cultural heritage as they formed ballet folklórico groups, established mariachi bands, painted murals, and wrote literature. Through grassroots organizing and collective action, countless heroines and heroes, such as labor leader Cesar Chavez, dedicated their lives to improving conditions in their neighborhoods and communities. In 1999, the City of San José acknowledged the contributions of Mexicans with the grand opening of the Mexican Heritage Plaza, a cultural center for the performing arts.

Author: Nannette Regua, Arturo Villarreal, Foreword By Stephen Pitti
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing (SC)
Published: 07/08/2009
Pages: 128
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.67lbs
Size: 9.24h x 6.54w x 0.35d
ISBN: 9780738569307

About the Author
Regua, Nannette: - The daughter of a farm worker, college history instructor Nannette Regua and college ethnic studies instructor Arturo Villarreal, a San José native and former field worker, honor the contributions of Mexicans in their community. Through the generosity of community members who shared their familial and personal photographs and local archival collections, the authors document the vibrant history of Mexicans in San José.