Topics

Spanish Colonization and Californios (1769-1800s)
Migrant Workers and Braceros (1930s-1964)
Racial Tensions During World War II
Cultural Traditions and the People (1930s-1960s)
Barrios (1930s-1960s)
Everyday Life: Hispanic Americans (1940s-1970s)
Politics and Community (1960s-Present)

Overview

Hispanic explorers first reached the shores of California in the 1500s. By the 19th century, Spain had built missions throughout the state, the Californios owned huge land grants, and California was part of the United States of Mexico. From that time to the present, Hispanic Californians have been among the largest cultural groups in the state. These images trace the history of Hispanic Americans in California from the Mission system and Californios into the 20th century: Mexican immigration into California, the farmworkers' labor struggles, and the Chicano Civil Rights movement and La Raza, which also resulted in an explosion of cultural art. Although a number of different Hispanic American groups now live in the state, the images in this topic largely portray Mexican Americans, who have always comprised the majority of Hispanic Californians.

* The list of missions is not intended to be complete; it reflects what is available in the collection at this time. As new items are added to the collection, this list will be updated.