ABSTRACT
The Latino population in the US has experienced major demographic transformations. The major change in Latino demography is evident in the growth of the population. Historically, Latinos in the US have been concentrated near the southern border with Mexico, the Northeast, and Florida. California and Texas have traditionally been ports of entry and areas of absorption for immigrants arriving from Mexico. The geographic distribution of these many national origin groups creates heterogeneous Hispanic communities within both historic and new Latino communities across the nation. Mexican Americans were clustered mainly in the Southwest, and their political organizations tackled issues such as farmworkers’ rights and bilingual education. The Chicano movement of the late sixties and early seventies ensured that Mexican American issues received greater recognition at the state and national levels and helped institutionalize a new Mexican American political identity that valued Mexican history, culture, and language.
