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A Spatial Study of the Mobility of by Carol Fimmen Western Illinois University Working Paper No. 43 November 1998
The twenty-first state did not have a Hispanic* population when it added its star to the United States flag in December of 1818. Census profiles for Illinois through the decades suggest the first substantial demographic Hispanic population was not clearly defined as a category until the 1970 census. In the late 1800's and early 1900's, Hispanic settlements principally occurred in urbanized areas, particularly the Chicago area, drawn by the opportunity to work in low-paying service and manufacturing jobs. The first large-scale wave of Hispanic immigrants to Illinois took place with the onset of World War I, supported by the twin circumstances of an economic boom and a labor shortage. Mexican workers were actively recruited to work in the factories, agricultural industries, and the railroads. By 1928, the Mexican population represented 43% of the total labor force on the railroads. The steel and meat packing industries experienced the same growth in their workforce population and by 1926, Mexican workers represented 14% and 11%, respectively, of all workers in these Chicago area industries. Thus, the Mexican population rose dramatically in one decade from 1,224 in 1920 to 19,362 in 1930 (Betancur, Cordova, and Torres, 1993). The second wave of Mexican immigration was initiated by another war,
World War II, and the implementation of the Bracero Program in 1941. The
Bracero Program was originally created as a wartime relief program to import
temporary workers, but was repeatedly renewed until 1964. Due to similar
economic circumstances, over 15,000 Mexicans were brought to Chicago to
work on the railroads alone from 1943-1945 (Betancur, Cordova, and Torres,
1993). As a result of this steady flow of Mexican labor into Illinois, over
35,000 Hispanics were counted in the census in the Chicago area in 1950.
The category nearly doubled in size each decade thereafter, and included
55,597 persons in 1960, and 106,000 in 1970. This early flow of migrants
established a basis for the more substantial migration that began in the
1980's when 255,770 of the persons counted were of Mexican descent. However,
of greater significance was the almost explosive population gain of Hispanics
that occurred between 1990 and 1994 when this cohort of the population accounted
for 32% of the population growth in Illinois. People do not just appear
without cause. There need to be forces of attraction that complement the
exertion of forces causing people to leave their places of origin. In this
analysis, we begin by examining the demographic pattern of the Hispanic
migration to Illinois and the forces which encouraged this migration and
population growth and the impact it has on societal institutions. Hardcopy Price: $3.00
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