9781422277461

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C onn ect i ng C u ltu r es T hrough F am i ly and F ood

discrimination, because they definitely did. But in comparison to other newcomers, Mexicans were considered to be good workers and important contributors to the US economy. For example, the ImmigrationAct of 1924 ended immigration from most of the world, but not from Mexico. Power- ful forces in the agriculture industry wanted to make sure that Mexican labor was still available. The Great Depression of the 1930s caused the US economy to shrink, resulting inwidespreadunemployment amongnative-bornAmericans and immigrants alike. As so often happens when the economy sours, people turned on themost vulnerable newcomers, blaming themfor the economic crisis. Racism against Mexican immigrants increased noticeably. In the

Men in the Bracero program showed off their support of the United States at this train station rally.