Barrio Life in Chicago What is a Barrio

Barrio Life in Chicago

What is a "Barrio"? • The expression barrio cerrado (translated "closed neighborhood") is employed for small, upper-class, residential settlements, planned with an exclusive criterion and often literally enclosed in walls (a kind of gated community). • A district of a town with Spain and Spanish-speaking residents • "barrio" used to refer to rural village

Muralista Mexicano Héctor Duarte

Marcos Raya… From Guanajuato, México…painter of murals since the 1960 s in Barrio Pilsen….

Aztec Culture Preserved

NOT ALWAYS A GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD ØBarrio Pilsen was a port of entry for Mexicans but…. ØThey inherited a SLUM district ØThe Mexicans were generally powerless at the times between the 1920 s through 1960 s ØThey underwent an existentialist rebellion in the 1960 s by Mexican youth, activists, and artists

DARK AND DANGEROUS…. ØChicago, seeing it as a slum threatened to demolish all the “tenements” or slum apartments ØNo one envisioned a future since all the factories and jobs were leaving the area ØIn the 1960 s, it was dark, dangerous, full of drugs and violence

PILSEN IN THE 1950 s

Taking pride in Pilsen

A CHANGE CAME ABOUT… ØAlthough most were renters, a few Mexicans began to buy homes, and build up businesses, such as carnicerías, restaurants with barbacoas, birria, taquerías, etc. ØMany latinos began moving into the neighborhood as it was changing for the better.

The 1970 s ØIn the early 1970 s to eat (over 100 restaurants), shop (over 60 grocery stores and supermarkets), drink (over 110 taverns), entertainment (one movie theatre and eight pool halls), and worship (eight Catholic parishes).

MURAL OF MEXICAN DANCERS

Subway steps in Barrio Pilsen