1920-1940Although Hispanics have lived in Wisconsin since before Statehood, the numbers were extremely low. For this reason, this website's history of Latinos in Wisconsin will start in 1925, when records indicate that there were over 9,000 Hispanics living in Wisconsin. [1] Most Hispanics worked on farms and in fields at this time, with a few seasonal laborers moving to Wisconsin during times in which most crops were harvested.[2] Despite high numbers in 1925, the Latinx Community was not immune to the Great Depression, with most returning to their home countries in an effort to escape the hardships in America.
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1940-1960According to the 1940 U.S. Census, there were merely 200 Latinos living in Wisconsin, with that number growing to 1,000 in 1950, although seasonal laborers, who made up a majority of Hispanics in Wisconsin at this time, were not included in these numbers. [3] In 1943 the Emergency Farm Labor Program, also known as the Bracero Program was passed, which allowed farmers to hire foreign workers. [4] Many of the workers came from Mexico, Jamaica, the Bahamas, and British Honduras.[5] In total, over 445,000 "Braceros" were employed in the United States.
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1960-1970Throughout the 1960's, Wisconsin hired about 10,000 migrant workers, 90% of whom were from Mexico. [6] After the Bracero Program was discontinued in 1964, many of the Latinos who had moved to Wisconsin as laborers, formed communities in Milwaukee, with primarily Hispanic residents. Additionally, many laborers chose to remain as field hands within Wisconsin, saving money for their families to move to Wisconsin to join them. In 1966, Obreros Unidos, a Migrant Agricultural Labor Union was formed to demand better wages, housing, and working conditions for migrant workers in Wisconsin farms. [7]
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1970-1990 |
1990-2010 |
2010-Present |
Throughout the late 1970’s and early 1980’s there was a large population of documented and undocumented immigrants that moved from Mexico to the United States. A large population of these immigrants found their way to Wisconsin so they could pursue manual labor jobs, in factories, tanneries, and as foundry workers, as well as jobs as canners and meatpackers. It was estimated by the Immigration and Naturalization Service that around 12,000-15,000 undocumented immigrants from Mexico moved to Wisconsin by the end of 1970. In the 1980 census it was recorded that the Mexican population had grown to 63,000 people which was about 1.3% of the states population. [8] In the 1990’s the migration to Wisconsin really started to increase due to a series of free trade agreements that were signed with Mexico. These agreements made it very expensive for farmers in Mexico to farm on their own land, causing many people to migrate to Wisconsin for economic reasons. [9]
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By the year 1990, Milwaukee held approximately 628,000 people. Of those residents, approximately 39,000 of them were Latino. [10] Between 1990 and 2014, the Latino population increased by 200%, with the majority of residents being born in the United States. [11] Over the previous two decades, Latino communities had drastically shaped Milwaukee’s education, neighborhoods, and economy. [12] Many Latino immigrants came to Milwaukee and other parts of Wisconsin throughout the 1990’s and 2010’s because of already existing family, the rapid growth of Latinos in Milwaukee, and the readily available job market. In the 1990's and 2000's, the Centro de la Comunidad Unida/United Community Center (UCC) merged with the Bruce-Guadalupe Community School, added a middle school, and added a Senior center. Since its creation in the 1960's, UCC has "provided programs to Hispanics and near south side residents of all ages in the areas of education, cultural arts, recreation, community development, and health and human services."[13]
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The 2010’s for Latinos were mired in deportations and heightened tensions and attitudes against Latinos. With President Barack Obama being known as “Deporter-in-Chief” and current President Donald Trump running his campaign on strong immigration policies, times for the immigrant community have not been good. The culmination of these tensions in Wisconsin were manifested with the "Day without Latinos" protests organized by Voces de la Frontera, in which Latinos across the state were absent from their employment. These protests involved thousands of activists present in 12 Wisconsin cities protesting the increasing crackdown on immigration at the hands of the Trump administration. [14] The protests also expressed concern over the rise of hate crimes in Wisconsin urban areas against Latinos. For example, a Milwaukee man murdered three individuals after learning they were Puerto Ricans. [15] However, the Latino community is still standing strong and looking for ways to establish itself as part of the future of Milwaukee.
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[1]“20th-Century Immigration.” Wisconsin Historical Society , 2019.
[2] Erenburg, Mark. “Obreros Unidos in Wisconsin.” U.S. Department of Labour, Bureau of Labour Statistics, 1968.
[3] “Hispanic/Latinos in Wisconsin: History.” Wisconsin Department of Health Services, September 10, 2018.
[4] Erenburg, Mark. “Obreros Unidos in Wisconsin.” U.S. Department of Labour, Bureau of Labour Statistics, 1968.
[5] “20th-Century Immigration.” Wisconsin Historical Society , 2019.
[6] Erenburg, Mark. “Obreros Unidos in Wisconsin.” U.S. Department of Labour, Bureau of Labour Statistics, 1968.
[7] Ibid.
[8] González, Sergio. “Immigration, Documentation And The Growth Of Wisconsin's Mexican-American Communities.” WisContext, November 9, 2018.
[9] Sanchez, Edgar. “A Century of Wisconsin Latinos.” Madison365, August 23, 2018.
[10] Campbell Gibson; Kay Jung, Historical Census Statistics on Population Totals by Race, 1790 to 1990, and By Hispanic origin, For Large Cities and Other Urban Places in the United States, (Washington D.C., U.S. Census Bureau), Feb 2005.
[11] Jesse Garza, Milwaukee Area Latino Population Skyrockets, (Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel), 2016.
[12] Ibid.
[13] “About UCC.” United Community Center, 2019.
[14] Renee, Sedria. “Thousands Protest Immigration Crackdown in 'Day Without Latinos'.” NBCNews.com. NBCUniversal News Group, February 13, 2017.
[15] Blakinger, Keri. “Milwaukee Man Kills Three Neighbors after Learning One Is from Puerto Rico: 'You Guys Got to Go' .” nydailynews.com. New York Daily News, April 9, 2018.
[2] Erenburg, Mark. “Obreros Unidos in Wisconsin.” U.S. Department of Labour, Bureau of Labour Statistics, 1968.
[3] “Hispanic/Latinos in Wisconsin: History.” Wisconsin Department of Health Services, September 10, 2018.
[4] Erenburg, Mark. “Obreros Unidos in Wisconsin.” U.S. Department of Labour, Bureau of Labour Statistics, 1968.
[5] “20th-Century Immigration.” Wisconsin Historical Society , 2019.
[6] Erenburg, Mark. “Obreros Unidos in Wisconsin.” U.S. Department of Labour, Bureau of Labour Statistics, 1968.
[7] Ibid.
[8] González, Sergio. “Immigration, Documentation And The Growth Of Wisconsin's Mexican-American Communities.” WisContext, November 9, 2018.
[9] Sanchez, Edgar. “A Century of Wisconsin Latinos.” Madison365, August 23, 2018.
[10] Campbell Gibson; Kay Jung, Historical Census Statistics on Population Totals by Race, 1790 to 1990, and By Hispanic origin, For Large Cities and Other Urban Places in the United States, (Washington D.C., U.S. Census Bureau), Feb 2005.
[11] Jesse Garza, Milwaukee Area Latino Population Skyrockets, (Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel), 2016.
[12] Ibid.
[13] “About UCC.” United Community Center, 2019.
[14] Renee, Sedria. “Thousands Protest Immigration Crackdown in 'Day Without Latinos'.” NBCNews.com. NBCUniversal News Group, February 13, 2017.
[15] Blakinger, Keri. “Milwaukee Man Kills Three Neighbors after Learning One Is from Puerto Rico: 'You Guys Got to Go' .” nydailynews.com. New York Daily News, April 9, 2018.