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Korean War
The Korean War begins its three year conflict when troops of North Korea, backed with Soviet weaponry, invade South Korea. This act leads to U.S. involvement when two days later, the United States Air Force and Navy are ordered by President Truman to the peninsula. On June 30, ground forces and air strikes are approved against North Korea. -
Bracero Program
The Bracero Program is formalized as the Mexican Farm Labor Supply Program and the Mexican Labor Agreement, and will bring an annual average of 350,000 Mexican workers into the United States until its end in 1964. -
Immigration and Nationality Act
The Immigration and Nationality Act allows individuals of all races to be eligible for naturalization. The act also reaffirms national origins quota system, limits immigration from the Eastern Hemisphere while leaving the Western Hemisphere unrestricted, establishes preferences for skilled workers and relatives of U.S. citizens and permanent resident aliens; and tightens security and screening standards and procedures. -
Dwight D. Eisenhower
General Dwight D. Eisenhower, a newcomer to politics, but popular due to his role in winning World War II as European commander, gains an easy victory over Democratic challenger Adlai E becoming the 34th president of the U.S. -
Operation Wetback
During "Operation Wetback" the U.S. Immigration Service arrests and deports more than 3.8 million Latin Americans. Many U.S. citizens are deported unfairly, including political activist. -
Latinaires
David Coronado of “David Coronado & The Latinaires” recruits his young cousin, Joe Hernandez, to play guitar in his Texas band. Joe Hernandez will eventually become known as “Little Joe” forming first “Little Joe and the Latinaires” and later “Little Joe y La Familia” and revolutionizing the Tex-Mex big band sound. -
La Carreta
La Carreta (The Oxcart), a play about the Puerto Rican immigrant experience to New York, written by René Marquéz, has its New York premiere at the Church of San Sebastian. The play, directed by Roberto Rodriguez, captures quintessentially the Puerto Rican migrant experience to New York and soon becomes an enormously successful play in New York and in Puerto Rico. In 1970, Puerto Rican filmmaker José García will make a short film based on the play. -
Boy Heroes of Chapultepec
Boy Heroes of Chapultepec; a Story of the Mexican War, written by María Cristina Mena Chambers is published in New York. -
T.V.
The first color televisions go on sale. This revolutionized entertainment forever. -
Nunca Jamàs
Lalo Guerrero performs his original song, “Nunca Jamás, ”in front of an audience in Denver, Colorado in which the popular Mexico City group, Los Panchos, are present. On their return to Mexico, they record Lalo’s song. Soon, other leading performers like Javier Solís, and José Feliciano record the song as well. It becomes an instant bolero classic. -
Segregation of Public Schools Terminated
Racial segregation in public schools is declared unconstitutional by the United States Supreme Court in Brown vs. the Board of Education. The ruling of the court stated that racial segregation violated the 14th Amendment's clause that guaranteed equal protection. The Monroe School in Topeka, Kansas had segregated Linda Brown in its classes. -
Hernandez v. Texas
Hernandez v. Texas is the first post-WWII Latino civil rights case heard and decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. The Hernandez decision strikes down discrimination based on class and ethnic distinctions. -
Effective Fillibuster
Nearly a dozen bills are introduced into the Senate to preserve segregation. Henry B. Gonzalez, determined to stop them, stages an effective filibuster, speaking for 22 straight hours. He would later represent San Antonio in Congress. -
Voting Rights
- U.S. Congress approves the first civil rights bill since reconstruction with additional protection of voting rights.
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Mando and The Chili Peppers
In San Antonio, Texas Armando Almendarez creates Mando and the Chili Peppers, one of the first Mexican American rock and roll bands. The group, under the Crest record label, records traditional country songs like “Walking the Floor over you,” and “San Antonio Rose,”and oldies like “Harbor Lights,” and “Maybellene”to a sax driven rock and roll beat. -
Ritchie Valen
Ritchie Valen’s two hits “Donna” and “La Bamba” establish him, indisputably, as the first nationally recognized Chicano rock and roll star. -
King of the Salseros
Tito Puente releases Dance Mania, establishing him as the King of the Salseros and further popularizing the mambo and cha cha craze in America. -
Ritchie Valen's Death
Ritchie Valens, whose real name is Ricardo Valenzuela and whose hits “La Bamba” and “Donna” made him the first nationally recognized Mexican American rock and roll star, dies in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa along with singers Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper (J.P. Richardson). -
Pocho
Pocho, written by José Antonio Villareal, another novel depicting the Chicano experience from immigration from Mexico to life in the United States, is published by Doubleday Press. -
The Evergreen Review
The Evergreen Review literary magazine devotes an entire issue to Mexican authors titled “The Eye of Mexico.” For the first time in a mainstream magazine, Americans are introduced to the writings of such Mexican authors as Juan Rulfo, Carlos Fuentes, Jaime Sabines, Elena Poniatowski and Octavio Paz.