Boulder County Latino History
Boulder County Latino History
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  • Immigration from Mexico, 1900-1940

Immigration from Mexico, 1900-1940

This set explores the reasons that led Mexicans to leave their homes (primarily extreme poverty and the Mexican Revolution) and traces migration routes.

Full Text PDF: Chapter 2: Early Hispanic Immigration to Boulder County, 1900-1940

Causes of the Mexican Trouble, 1916, p.1

February 4, 2016 / Mary Ellen Graziani /

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Causes of the Mexican Trouble, 1916, p.2

February 4, 2016 / Mary Ellen Graziani /

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Interview with Dr. Albert Ramirez

February 4, 2016 / Mary Ellen Graziani /

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Interview with Phil Hernandez

February 4, 2016 / Mary Ellen Graziani /

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Map of Mexican Immigration to Colorado

February 4, 2016 / Mary Ellen Graziani /

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Video – “Los Inmigrantes”

February 4, 2016 / Mary Ellen Graziani /

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Historian Comments

This resource examines early Latino immigration to Boulder County from Mexico prior to 1940. Although a few Spanish-speaking people from New Mexico, Mexico, or Spain had been in Boulder County during the second half of the nineteenth century, active immigration did not begin until the 1910s. Over the next 20 years, many Latino newcomers—or the parents/grandparents of people who later moved to our area—arrived from Central Mexico. Interviews suggest they came mainly from three states lying to the west or northwest of Mexico City: Zacatecas (the largest group), Guanajuato, and Michoacán. None of these states lie close to the U.S. border. The nearest point where one could cross into Texas from that part of Mexico was 300-500 miles away; to reach Ciudad Juarez and El Paso, a common entry point into New Mexico and then Colorado, immigrants had to travel 700-950 miles. Usually they did so by train. This set also explores why migrants decided to leave their relatives and friends and move to an unknown country. The main factors were acute poverty due to uneven distribution of land, and the disruption caused by the Mexican Revolution of the 1910s and the civil war that followed. Though Mexicans crossing the border into the US were supposed to stop and be given paperwork, until around 1930 his requirement was rarely enforced because their labor was welcome. The experiences of these early Mexican immigrants have a good deal in common with people who decided to leave their homes in Europe or East Asia to seek better opportunities for their families in the U.S.

Teaching Boulder County Latino History is an extension of the Boulder County Latino History Project. This site provides resources for those interested in teaching Boulder County Latino History. The teaching resources are grounded in the books written by CU Boulder’s Distinguished Professor Marjorie McIntosh.

There are three central components to this site. The Lesson Database provides lessons for K-12 teachers. Each lesson uses primary sources and is grounded in the books by Prof. McIntosh. Beyond the curated lessons teachers are encouraged to explore the Primary Source Sets and access the full text of Prof. McIntosh’s books. The book outlines link lesson plans and primary sources to each chapter. Teachers and students are welcome to download all or parts of the books to support their learning.

Our Work

Lesson Topics

Businesses Celebrations/ ceremonies Children Civil rights activity Culture/ identity issues Deportation Education/ schools Employment, manufacturing/ unskilled Employment, professional/ skilled Families Farm work/ agriculture/ ranching Food/ cooking Government/ government programs/ laws Health/ medicine/ healing Houses/ living places Immigration Interviews done in 2013 Labor unions/ strikes Languages (Spanish and English) Mexico/ Mexicans Migrant workers Mining Music/ dancing/ art/ recreation Neighborhoods New Mexico/ New Mexicans Organizations/ clubs Police/ Sheriffs/ I.C.E. officials Political or community participation Quantitative information Racism/ discrimination/ segregation Religion/ churches Soldiers/ wars/ veterans Sports/ outdoor activities Transportation/ cars University of Colorado/ college students Women Work done by women and children

© 2023 Boulder County Latino History

CU School of Education

CU Office for Outreach and Engagement/ University of Colorado Boulder

The Colorado Health Foundation
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