Facing Segregation

Segregation was a common reality.  These stories occurred before the Civil Rights movement, and remind us of the overt racism of the past.

 “[The pool was] Segregated.  We were not allowed to go in it because they were afraid the Mexican food we eat and supposedly because our mother cooked with lard.  They thought that grease was going to come off of us and go to the top of the water.” -Eddie Encinas

Open

Since they couldn’t use the pool, most Latino residents swam in irrigation canals.

“…there was a canal across the street and we would take soap and everything and take a bath there… We would go swimming there. It was running water. It wasn’t real dirty water, you could see clear. All the kids did it.  All the Mexicans.” -Anita Rosales

People in Chandler experienced segregation in different ways.

“I know that if you went to the movie theater, did [the movie theater] have different sections?.... I never had that problem.  [Mrs. Woods] never told me to go sit here or there.  I just sat where I wanted to.  It’s funny…It’s almost like there were two classes of Mexicans in town.  The ones she would let sit anywhere and the ones she told where to sit.” -Carlos Carriega

When have you felt like an outsider?