New book chronicles 100 years of Indiana Latino history

Dec. 14—A new book published by the Indiana Historical Society looks at the contributions of the Indiana Latino population over the past century.

"Hoosier Latinos: A Century of Struggle, Service, and Success" was written by Daniel Gonzales and Nicole Martinez-LeGrand. It originated as part of a research project called the Latino History Project.

The project was sponsored by the Indiana Historical Society and funded by a Lilly Endowment grant after the Historical Society saw a gap in their knowledge when it came to the Latino and Asian experience in Indiana.

Martinez-LeGrand traveled around the state, interviewing people in Latino communities.

In 2018, there was an exhibit at the Historical Society. In 2019, more funding came to create a traveling and online exhibit and also to write the book.

Martinez-LeGrand said Latinos began to appear in U.S. census records in the late 1800s and real growth began in 1918 when the U.S. government authorized 30,000 Latinos to come into the country and help fill labor shortages caused by WWI.

"We focus on a lot of laws and events and policies that shaped these communities and brought them to the Midwest," Martinez-LeGrand of the books beginning. "Indiana, from 1907 to 1927, had the Mexican consulate with General Russell B. Harrison being the first vice council to Mexico here in Indianapolis."

Martinez-LeGrand said there are three words to think about when it comes to immigration: push, pull and stick.

"You think about what is pushing people out of their countries, what is pulling them to Indiana and what are the elements that are making them stick—that could be businesses, organizations, family, education, you name it," she said.

During her travels around the state, families shared their photo albums with Martinez-LeGrand and she was able to select images to build the exhibit and later use in the book. She said all the pictures came from personal collections and had never been exhibited before. The images helped her understand how tight knit the Spanish communities in Indiana had been and still are.

"I think the most interesting part was seeing some of my own family members in other people's photos," she said.

Unfortunately, Martinez-LeGrand never made it to Cass County during her initial research, but she said this is an ongoing project and she hoped to speak with the local Latino community at some point.

"This (project) is just to help give a foundation and let people know we have been here for a century," she said.

A book about Hoosier Asians, called "Asian Voices," will soon be available from the Indiana Historical Society. Martinez-LeGrand said she did have stories about Cass County Asians in the book, referencing a court case from the 1800s between two laundry men that would draw the attention of Moy Kee, who would come to be known as the Chinese mayor of Indianapolis.

Martinez-LeGrand hoped "Hoosier Latinos" will allow the Indiana Latino community to anchor themselves to Indiana and see themselves in history.

"Latinos in Indiana have been homogenized and politicized with people thinking we are new arrivals," she said. "So this book is a testimony that we have been here for a century contributing to the democratic society of Indiana."

The online exhibit can be found at www.beheard.ihs.yourcultureconnect.com/e/latino-experiences.

The book can be ordered at www.shop.indianahistory.org/products/hoosier-latinos-a-century-of-struggle-service-and-success.

An education guide is being developed and will be available for free to teachers.