The Yellow Rose

Racial Stratification in a Mexican American Community

By:
Richard R. Verdugo, UAB - Centre for Demographic Studies, Barcelona, Spain

A volume in the series: The Hispanic Population in the United States. Editor(s): Richard R. Verdugo, UAB - Centre for Demographic Studies, Barcelona, Spain.

Published 2019

The volume examines the effect racial stratification had on the economic and social lives of Mexican Americans and Anglo residents in a community that was majority Mexican American.

The impact was felt economically as the community was a one-crop economy, and also in creating social disharmony between Mexican Americans and the politically and economically dominant Anglo community.

This is an historical study since it is based on a survey conducted in 1969. It is one of only a few complete Mexican American community studies ever conducted.

CONTENTS
Preface. CHAPTER 1: The Demography of the Mexican-American Population, 1960 to 1970: Texas and the United States. Size of the Mexican American Population. Composition of the Mexican American Population: Nationally and in Texas. CHAPTER 2: Fabens in Years Prior to Anglo Arrival. CHAPTER 3: Anglo Arrival: The Mexican–American War, Land Displacement, and the Emergence of a Segmented Labor Force. The Mexican–American War. Displacement of the Indigenous Population From the Land. Segmented Labor Force. Notes. CHAPTER 4: Land, Economics, and Labor: The Emergence of the Chicano Working Class. Land Displacement of the Mexican Population. Cotton Farming. Labor Unrest. The Boom Years. The Great Depression. Recovery, World War II and the Postwar Period. Mexican Nationals and Their Effect on Labor in the Fabens Area. The Emergence of the Middle Class and the Struggle for Power in Fabens. Notes. CHAPTER 5: Background and Characteristics of the Fabens Population. Population Analysis. Demography. General Characteristics of Household Heads. Summary. CHAPTER 6: Education and the Schools. A Short History of Fabens’ Schools. The School Plant in 1969: A General Description. The Fabens School Teacher. Teachers’ Views and Opinions on Materials and Resources. Teachers Evaluate the School System. Parent–Teacher Communication. Parents and Teachers’ Views About Teachers. Parents and Teachers View the Youth of Fabens. Students’ Views of the School. Parental Involvement. How Are Students Viewed?: Self Views, Views by Parents, and Teachers Views. Opinions Given by Parents, Students, and Teachers on the Educational Values Transmitted by the School and the Most Important Characteristics of Student Character. Student Character Traits. Attitudes and Values. CHAPTER 7: Business and the Consumer. Selected Characteristics of Fabens’ Businesses. The Consumer. CHAPTER 8: The Influentials: Community Leadership and Decision-Making. The Three Issues: A Discussion. Efforts to Combat the Plight of the Cotton Industry. Fabens’ Decision to Invite the Notre Dame for the Community Study Group. The Community Leadership Structure. Discussion. CHAPTER 9: Wealth, Poverty, and Ideology in Fabens. Fabens as a Place to Live and Work. Perceptions About Opportunities in Fabens. Political Opportunity Structure. Concern With Income and Economic Security. Causal Factors of Wealth and Poverty. Wealth and Poverty in Fabens. Ethnicity, Mobility, and Occupation. Summary. Appendices. Agriculture. Crops. Labor and Mechanization. Farm Economics. References.