Date: 1930

 

Description: This program comes from a Mexican Independence Day celebration held in September 1930 here in Sioux City. The headline reads “Honor and Glory to the Heroes of Mexico,” and specifically honors Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a Mexican priest who issued a call to arms to the Mexican people in 1810, kick starting the Mexican War for Independence. The paragraphs below Hidalgo’s portrait calls the Mexican people living in Sioux City to remember their heroes during these September months, and to not let this 120th anniversary pass by without paying tribute to them. The final paragraph of this section says that “The Mexican Colony radiates in Sioux City, Iowa,” and worthily commemorates Mexican heroes. Latinos primarily came to this area with the immigration that took place in the early 20th century. Many chose nearby South Sioux City in Nebraska due to more available jobs at that time, but Sioux City itself certainly saw its own share of Latino immigration as well. As the 20th century wore on more and more people of Latin American descent came to the city, bringing with them their families, languages, and cultural traditions. Job opportunities in meatpacking and other industrial sectors were vital for immigrants desperate for work, and this group was no exception. By the census taken in 1990, 2,624 Sioux Cityans claimed they were of Hispanic origin, the third largest in Iowa. This number makes Latin Americans the largest minority group in the city. Today Latin American culture abounds in Sioux City, and Hispanic restaurants, shops, festivals, and other cultural inheritances are a common sight.

 

Donor: Victoria Bata