Becoming Mexican American

The “100 Per Cent American” movement was one of many efforts at Americanization that ramped up during World War 1. The movement drew together businesses that employed large numbers of immigrant workers and sought to minimize radicalism in the workforce by encouraging a sense of “superpatriotism.”

A narrative song similar to a ballad but containing a socially relevant message, the corrido was one of the most celebrated musical styles that Mexican musicians transformed in Los Angeles, allowing Mexican immigrants to express the realities and frustrations of the working class without fear of retaliation. This perceived freedom of expression helped create a booming Mexican American music industry that echoed the experiences of the Mexican immigrant community.

Used to describe the entire population of immigrants from Latin America and their descendants.