Mexicans in San Jose
2009
First Published
4.78
Average Rating
128
Number of Pages
Part of Series
Since the founding of California's El Pueblo de San JosAA(c) de Guadalupe in 1777, people of Mexican ancestry have contributed to make San JosAA(c) a rich cultural, political, and economic epicenter. Mexican miners who worked in the local mines helped San JosAA(c) 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 folklAA3rico 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 JosAA(c) acknowledged the contributions of Mexicans with the grand opening of the Mexican Heritage Plaza, a cultural center for the performing arts.
Avg Rating
4.78
Number of Ratings
9
5 STARS
78%
4 STARS
22%
3 STARS
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2 STARS
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1 STARS
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Authors
Nannette Regua
Author · 1 books
Nannette Regua, a college History instructor, holds degrees from San Jos State University, CA and Sarah Lawrence College, NY. Regua has been a volunteer in the Mexican and Mexican American community in San Jos for over a decade and a resident for over 35 years. Regua specializes in American, Ethnic American, and Women's History. She began her interest in history by researching the United Farm Workers (UFW) union and its founders Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta. As a graduate student, she volunteered for the UFW, organizing strawberry pickers in Watsonville, CA. "
