However, the changing ethnic demographics during the middle of the 20th century were not all due to northern traveling immigrants, or returning US citizens. The ubiquity of automobiles and the Federal Aid Highway Act meant many more Mexican-American families would start spreading east or west throughout the country. El Paso’s “doorway” into the southwest is often where people would find comfort or distant family. This era of El Paso would help bring in diversity to the infrastructure, as Mexican Americans would be allowed to join the fire department and law enforcement for the first time. Our home would even make history in 1957, as it would become the first US city to elect a Mexican-American mayor. Raymond Telles would excel at his position and be in office when John F. Kennedy would agree to end the Chamizal Dispute. Telles would make such an impression during his tenure, that President Kennedy would go on to appoint Telles as the ambassador to Costa Rica. This Segundo Barrio native became the first Mexican-American to be appointed as a US ambassador.
The momentous growth of Fort Bliss throughout the 20th century would also significantly impact El Paso’s diversity. Returning veterans who satisfied their service commitments often found the agreeable climate and cost of living as an ideal place to begin their next phase. For generations, locals with storied pasts and distant origins have become part of the woven identity that make modern day Paseños. Even more recently, Mexican and Hispanic immigrants from more segregated locales brought their businesses or medical practices into the US, by way of El Paso del Norte. Thus, adding to the nuanced and multidimensional ethnic complex.
However, the globalization that defined the last half of the century also brought a generational exodus. Younger Paseños, regardless of race, ethnicity, or class background, began spreading around the country. Despite El Paso’s raucous introduction into technology and capitalism thanks to the train, our isolation put us on a proverbial broadcast delay. In hopes to be a part of and make an impact on the world at large, El Pasoans left their home. The “brain drain” created a bleak outlook by the turn of the century, as more young people left our community than any other major city in the country.
The “white flight” that would happen around the country in the 50’s and 60’s began a decade earlier in El Paso. But it looked slightly different than the red-lined, hollowed out, or segregated places of the Midwest. Due in large part to the Mexican Revolution, population in El Paso County started to spike. Chihuahuita and Segundo Barrio, which were vital during the period, were becoming an appendage toward Ysleta. In the other direction, new settlers would often begin adding to the Smeltertown community, or extending to Canutillo and Vinton. By the time “repatriated” citizens found their way back to the United States a decade later, many would not wander far. Some would willfully stay and simply add to neighborhoods that looked more like them.
After the 1930 Census, even “white” Mexicans were being labeled as “Mexican” or “non-white” across the country. In 1936, the city registrar of El Paso, Alex Powell, announced their regressive plans to also begin registering Mexican-Americans as “colored.” Fearing a similar fate as the repatriated citizens making their way back, many began to rally around the causes or ideas pushed by LULAC and others. Once the US government made it clear Mexican-Americans would be considered “White,” a growing concern began to swing in the opposite direction. To this day, the 1940 census –– which was the first to incorporate the new rules –– is the only recorded population decrease in El Paso.
The “white flight” that would happen around the country in the 50’s and 60’s began a decade earlier in El Paso. But it looked slightly different than the red-lined, hollowed out, or segregated places of the Midwest. Due in large part to the Mexican Revolution, population in El Paso County started to spike. Chihuahuita and Segundo Barrio, which were vital during the period, were becoming an appendage toward Ysleta. In the other direction, new settlers would often begin adding to the Smeltertown community, or extending to Canutillo and Vinton. By the time “repatriated” citizens found their way back to the United States a decade later, many would not wander far. Some would willfully stay and simply add to neighborhoods that looked more like them.
After the 1930 Census, even “white” Mexicans were being labeled as “Mexican” or “non-white” across the country. In 1936, the city registrar of El Paso, Alex Powell, announced their regressive plans to also begin registering Mexican-Americans as “colored.” Fearing a similar fate as the repatriated citizens making their way back, many began to rally around the causes or ideas pushed by LULAC and others. Once the US government made it clear Mexican-Americans would be considered “White,” a growing concern began to swing in the opposite direction. To this day, the 1940 census –– which was the first to incorporate the new rules –– is the only recorded population decrease in El Paso.
However, the changing ethnic demographics during the middle of the 20th century were not all due to northern traveling immigrants, or returning US citizens. The ubiquity of automobiles and the Federal Aid Highway Act meant many more Mexican-American families would start spreading east or west throughout the country. El Paso’s “doorway” into the southwest is often where people would find comfort or distant family. This era of El Paso would help bring in diversity to the infrastructure, as Mexican Americans would be allowed to join the fire department and law enforcement for the first time. Our home would even make history in 1957, as it would become the first US city to elect a Mexican-American mayor. Raymond Telles would excel at his position and be in office when John F. Kennedy would agree to end the Chamizal Dispute. Telles would make such an impression during his tenure, that President Kennedy would go on to appoint Telles as the ambassador to Costa Rica. This Segundo Barrio native became the first Mexican-American to be appointed as a US ambassador.
The momentous growth of Fort Bliss throughout the 20th century would also significantly impact El Paso’s diversity. Returning veterans who satisfied their service commitments often found the agreeable climate and cost of living as an ideal place to begin their next phase. For generations, locals with storied pasts and distant origins have become part of the woven identity that make modern day Paseños. Even more recently, Mexican and Hispanic immigrants from more segregated locales brought their businesses or medical practices into the US, by way of El Paso del Norte. Thus, adding to the nuanced and multidimensional ethnic complex.
However, the globalization that defined the last half of the century also brought a generational exodus. Younger Paseños, regardless of race, ethnicity, or class background, began spreading around the country. Despite El Paso’s raucous introduction into technology and capitalism thanks to the train, our isolation put us on a proverbial broadcast delay. In hopes to be a part of and make an impact on the world at large, El Pasoans left their home. The “brain drain” created a bleak outlook by the turn of the century, as more young people left our community than any other major city in the country.