Indiana

CHRONOLOGY

1890s Thanks to railways, Mexican migrants start to participate in Indiana and other midwestern states’ labor market.

1911 Manuel Lara is the first Mexican to settle in Gary.

1919 The nationwide steel workers strike marks the start of large scale hiring of Mexican-origin laborers in the Calumet region.

1924 Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish is created in Gary.

1925 The first Mexican Catholic parish is established in East Chicago, Indiana.

1932 The massive repatriation of Mexicans reaches its peak. During the Great

Depression about half the people of Mexican descent residing in Indiana chose to return, or were deported, to Mexico.

1938 First Mexican American political club is established in East Chicago.

1948 First Puerto Rican contract workers arrive in northwest Indiana.

1957 Joe Maravilla becomes a member of the school board in East Chicago, which is a first step toward getting Latinos elected to public office in Indiana.

1960 Mexican Americans rally behind John F. Kennedy and organize Viva

Kennedy! clubs, which is a significant show of allegiance to the Democratic Party in Indiana that lasts until today.

1963 Jesse Gomez is the first Latino elected to the City Council of East

Chicago. Thereafter, Latino vote becomes a force to be reckoned with.

1972 The Concerned Latins Organization is founded to address issues of employment, education, housing, and government. It achieves important triumphs in areas of affirmative action and bilingual education.

The Chicano-Riqueno Studies program is established at Indiana University in Bloomington.

The Institute for Latino Studies is established at the University of Notre Dame.

The Commission on Hispanic/Latino Affairs is established by the state legislature to identify, measure, and review programs and legislation affecting the Latino community.

Construction and dedication of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Warsaw, Indiana. First new Catholic church to be built in the Diocese of Ft. Wayne-South Bend in 25 years.

Mitch Daniels becomes the first governor of Indiana to create an Office of Latino Affairs.

George Pabey makes history when he is elected the first Latino mayor of East Chicago.

Mara Candelaria Reardon becomes the first Latina woman representative among the 150-member Indiana General Assembly.

In Mishawaka, St. Joseph County, unprecedented massive raids in factories during March augur a nightmarish year for undocumented workers.