This week, I am issuing an apology on behalf of myself and the podcast. In the previous 90 episodes of this show, we have discussed slavery, the African American experience, immigration, Asian American and Native American history numerous times. And yet, we have not directly addressed the problematic experiences of Mexican, Latino and Hispanic people in the US… until now.

So this week, we are visiting 1960s Chicago, a city that poured fuel on the already explosive issue of Civil Rights, during a period of extraordinary national transformation, as I ask… what were the Latino Urban Riots?

...

Special guest for this episode:

• Lilia Fernández, a Professor and Director of Graduate Studies History at the University of Illinois, Chicago, specialising in the history of Latinos in the mid-to-late 20th century United States. Her books include Brown in the Windy City: Mexicans and Puerto Ricans in Postwar Chicago
• Lorrin Thomas, an Associate Professor in the Department of History at Rutgers University. Her research explores ideas about rights and equality in the twentieth century Americas, with a focus on Latin American history, and her books include Puerto Rican Citizen: History and Political Identity in Twentieth-Century New York City.

...

Highlights from this episode:

• The long and complex history of Latino migration to U.S. cities, especially Chicago and New York
• How urban renewal and housing discrimination intensified racial segregation
• The role of police brutality and surveillance in triggering community uprisings
• The 1966 Puerto Rican riot in Chicago and the 1967 riot in New York — what really happened
• The impact of the Civil Rights Act and rising expectations for racial equality
• How media narratives distorted the nature of Latino protest and resistance

...

Additional Resources:

Rethinking the Struggle for Puerto Rican Rights – The Rutgers Latino Studies Research Initiative by Lorrin R Thomas and Aldo A Lauria Santiago

Brown in the Windy City: Mexicans and Puerto Ricans in Postwar Chicago by Lilia Fernandez

Amazon.com: Puerto Rican Citizen: History and Political Identity in Twentieth-Century New York City by Lorrin Thomas

Home | Latino Americans | PBS

Humboldt Park Riots: Chicago Puerto Ricans Stand Up Against Violence by David Josiah

The 1966 Division Street Uprising & the Puerto Rican community in Chicago from Unsung History

Forgotten Latino Urban Riots and Why They Can Happen Again - Latino USA

...

And if you like this episode, you might also love:

What Do We Get Wrong About the Civil Rights Movement?

What Challenge Does Black Lives Matter Present to America?

What is the Civil Rights Act?

...

SUPPORT THE SHOW

Individual Supporters: https://america-a-history.captivate.fm/support

University Partners: https://america-a-history.captivate.fm/partnerships

Brand Sponsors: liam@mercurypodcasts.com

Contact us: america@podcastsbyliam.com

We're partnering with NeoTaste, the exclusive membership card unlocking huge discounts at hundreds of restaurants across the UK & Europe. Get your first 2 months free by using the code AAH at checkout. Sign up here: https://neotaste.com/gb?code=AAH&a=2

Are you a University or college? Become an academic partner and your name will appear right here.

Mentioned in this episode:

NeoTaste