Mexican Immigrants to Hutchinson, Kansas, 1905-1940: How a Temporary Haven Became Home

Author

Kathie Hinnen

Date of Graduation

Fall 1998

Degree

Master of Arts in History

Department

History

Committee Chair

David Adams

Abstract

The Mexican-American community in Hutchinson, Kansas, is small but members are an active and accepted part of the city. This paper looks at how and why hundreds of Mexicans immigrated to this central Kansas community during the early twentieth century seeking a refuge from their troubled homeland, and their struggle to overcome waves of prejudice against non-white immigrants that repeatedly swept the country. Based on U.S. Census data, local directories, newspapers, public records, and memoirs and interviews with long-time residents, the paper concludes that the immigrants persevered because of their tenacity, the staunch support of the railroads that employed them, and the frequently sympathetic and helpful residents of Hutchinson.

Subject Categories

History

Copyright

© Kathie Hinnen

Citation-only

Dissertation/Thesis

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