The Other American Dilemma : Schools, Mexicans, and the Nature of Jim Crow, 1912–1953

__Examines how Mexican-Americans experienced "unofficial" Jim Crow inside and outside the American education system, and how they used the courts, Mexican Consul, and other resources to challenge that discrimination.__ Contents 8 List of Illustrations 10 Acknowledgments 12 Introduction 14 The Politics of Mexican Consuls in the United States 18 The Racialization of the Mexican Population 21 Methods 22 Book Outline 22 Chapter 1 Francisco Maestas et al. v. George H. Shone et al., 1912–1914 28 The Emergence of a Lawsuit 30 Grassroots Activism 32 A Lawsuit Is Filed 34 The Answer 36 In the Court 39 The Ruling 41 The Media Reports the Decision 43 Legal Loose Ends 44 Discussion 45 Chapter 2 “Porque tenían sangre de ‘NEGROS,’ ” 1915–1916 50 Historical Context 53 Race, Segregation, and the Deep South 54 Cheneyville 56 The Cheneyville Incident 57 The New Orleans Mexican Consulate’s Report 59 Discussion 62 Chapter 3 “In These Towns Mexicans Are Classified as Negroes,” 1915–1935 66 Legal Framework for School Segregation in Kansas 68 The Making of a Triracial School System 70 Kansas City 70 Beyond Kansas City 75 Discussion 79 Chapter 4 Diplomatic Relations to School Segregation and Jim Crow 84 Setting the Context: Unsanctioned Jim Crow 85 Extending Jim Crow: Separate School Facilities 100 The Bliss Bill 109 Chapter 5 Legally White, Socially “Mexican,” 1930–1947 114 The Racialization of Mexican Americans 119 The Nature of Color, School Reform, and Social Efficiency 123 Challenging Segregation in Court 125 Independent School District v. Salvatierra: Legitimizing Segregation as Pedagogical Choice 125 Alvarez v. Lemon Grove: An Unnoticed Victory 128 Mendez v. Westminster : A New Precedent against Segregation 129 The Emergence of De Jure and De Facto 131 Discussion 134 Epilogue 138 Notes 148 Bibliography 182 Index 194 "In The Other American Dilemma, Rubén Donato and Jarrod Hanson examine the experiences of Mexican immigrants, Mexican Americans, and Hispanos/as in their schools and communities between 1912 and 1953. Drawing from the Mexican Archives located in Mexico City and by venturing outside of the Southwest, their examinations of specific communities in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, and Texas shed new light on Mexicans' social and educational experiences. Donato and Hanson maintain that Mexicans - whether recent immigrants, American citizens, or Hispanos/as with deep roots in the United States - were not seen as true Americans and were subject to unofficial school segregation and Jim Crow. The book highlights similarities and differences between the ways the Mexican-origin population and African Americans were treated. Because of their mestizo heritage, the Mexican-origin population was seen as racially mixed and kept on the margins of community and school life by people in power." -- Back cover