US History: Living History Project (2024)
Reference, primary sources, news coverage, and web resources to help you contextualize the period of U.S. history you are researching.
Latin American Immigration
General Information/ Overviews
Key Legislation
See the Immigration: Start here! page for more general immigration legislation
Mexican Americans (Mostly in Chicago)
What does it mean to be Mexican-American? (5:36)
- Mexican American Migrations and Communities
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Primary source set from the Library of Congress. Includes photos, recordings and more.
Stateside Puerto Ricans
Puerto Ricans Are Americans, Explained (2:20)
Central American Immigration
How the Cold War Contributed to the Modern Central American Migrant Crisis (6:09)
- The origins of the Sanctuary Movement
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Essay. Also contains images of primary source artifacts - The Journey of a Central American Asylum SeekerA South Chicago nursing student tells the story of her family’s trek through Central America, Border Patrol facilities, and the U.S. asylum system
Haitian Americans
- 50 Years of Haitian Migration to South Florida
In 1980, after 5,000 Haitian boat people had been denied political asylum, one discrimination case — Haitian Refugee Center v. Civiletti — claiming that the U.S. government practiced “blatant racism,” was successful.
Includes video (1:54) - Spaces and Stories: Haitian Churches and Oral Histories in Chicago
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Includes primary sources. - Why America keeps turning its back on Haitian migrants
The Biden administration is continuing a long history of exclusionary policy against Haitian asylum seekers.
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