History of the Hispanics and Latinos in Baltimore

The history of the Hispanics and Latinos in Baltimore dates back to the mid-20th century. The Hispanic and Latino community of Baltimore is the fastest growing ethnic group in the city. There is a significant Hispanic/Latino presence in many Southeast Baltimore neighborhoods, particularly Greektown, Highlandtown, and Upper Fell's Point.

Demographics

In 1920, 322 people in Baltimore spoke the Spanish language.[1]

In the 1930 United States Census, there were fewer than 1,000 foreign-born Latinos in Baltimore.[2]

As of the 2000 Census, the Spanish language was spoken at home by 17,805 people in Baltimore. This made Spanish the city's second most spoken language at home.[3]

The 2010 Census found that the Latino population had increased by 9.7% over the past decade. In 2000 Latinos constituted 1.7% of the population and by 2009 Latinos had increased to 3% of the population.[4] As of 2010, Latinos are 4.2% of Baltimore.[5] At 123,029 Latinos as of 2010, Baltimore has the 56th largest Latino metropolitan population in the United States.[6]

As of September 2014, the Spanish language (including Spanish Creole) is the most commonly spoken language in Baltimore after English. Additionally, 19,708 Latin Americans immigrants lived in Baltimore, making Latin America the largest region of origin for immigrants.[7]

Mexican Americans are the largest Latino group in the city. Mexicans make up slightly over a quarter (26%) of Baltimore's Hispanic population, forming a slight plurality over other Hispanics. There are also significant populations of Salvadorans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Hondurans, Dominicans, Guatemalans and Colombians, as well smaller populations of Argentines, Brazilians, Chileans, Peruvians, Spaniards and Venezuelans, as well as others.

Top 3 Largest Hispanic/Latino groups (2010)[8][5] Number Percentage
Total Population 620,961 100.0%
All Hispanics/Latinos 25,960 4.2%
Mexico Mexican 7,855 1.3%
Puerto Rico Puerto Rican 3,137 0.6%
El Salvador Salvadoran 2,796 0.5%
All other Hispanic or Latino 12,172 1.8%

History

During the 1920s many Spanish Americans settled in Highlandtown, alongside many Greek Americans.[9]

The first Latino immigrants to the city began arriving in the 1960s. Central Americans and anti-Castro middle-class Cubans were the first to immigrate. They were followed by middle-class immigrants from Argentina, Mexico, Peru, and Puerto Rico.[10]

1980 saw a second wave of immigration from Cuba. Most were oucasts from Cuba, mainly poor and uneducated and many being former prisoners. During the mid-1980s, many Guatemalans and Salvadorans fled to Baltimore in order to escape the Guatemalan and Salvadoran civil wars.[10]

As of 2012, city officials has been encouraging Latinos to immigrate to the city in order to stop or reverse Baltimore's population decline. In order to woo Latinos to the city, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake had prohibited police and social agencies from asking people about their immigration status. Rawlings-Blake has ordered the creation of a number of outreach programs for Latinos, including city-sponsored classes given in the Spanish language.[11][12]

Spanish Town

La China Poblana Mexican Restaurant, Greektown, December 2014.

The growing Latino community in Upper Fell's Point is sometimes called Spanish Town.[13][14] This Spanishtown is found on Broadway Street and is home to a Dominican salon and a Salvadoran supermarket, as well as Guatemalan, Mexican, and Peruvian restaurants [4]

In nearby Greektown, the Latino population is increasing rapidly as the Greek population decreases.[15][16] Latinos have also settled in Highlandtown.[17]

Baltimore has a relatively small, yet diverse Hispanic population. Most of Baltimore's Hispanic population is in the Southeast section of the city, in areas around Patterson Park and north of Eastern Avenue, especially Highlandtown. Significant Hispanic presence can be seen going in a southeast-ward direction towards Dundalk. Hispanics are starting to act as a medium creating a diverse community wedged between the predominately black community north of Orleans Street and the predominately white community south of Eastern Avenue. Another noticeable pattern is that neighborhoods west of Linwood Avenue such as Upper Fell's Point and Butchers Hill, Hispanics are mostly made up of first and second generation immigrants from Mexico and Central America, while neighborhoods east of Haven Street such as Greektown and Joseph Lee, more "American-ized" Hispanics such as Puerto Ricans and Dominican Americans are more prevalent, moving to Baltimore from other US states.

Culture

Latino Corner Mini Market, Greektown, December 2014.

LatinoFest is a yearly celebration of the cultures of Central and South America held in Patterson Park. The festival includes arts and crafts, dancing, and traditional folk music.[18]

While other cities in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast have thriving Spanish-language media, Baltimore has lagged behind. However, a few media outlets do exist. Latin Opinion/Opinion Latina is a biweekly newspaper written in English and Spanish that has been published since 2004. The newspaper was the first Spanish-language publication in Baltimore.[19] WLZL is the first FM Spanish-language radio station in the city.[20]

Health

Health disparaities exist between the Latino and non-Latino populations. Latinos are twice as likely as non-Latinos to say that they have poor or fair health. They often do not have access to medical care and fewer mothers receive prenatal care. Due to lack of coverage, many Latinos rely on community clinics. The Highlandtown Community Health Center has a bilingual staff and provides preventative care and treatment to the Latino community.[21]

Legal issues

Some Latinos distrust the police. Because of this, some will not turn to the police to report crimes they have witnessed, including alleged anti-Latino hate crimes. A common reason for not reporting crimes is fear of deportation or deportation of family.[22]

Notable Hispanics/Latinos from Baltimore

See also

References

  1. ↑ Carpenter, Niles (1927). Immigrants and their children, 1920. A study based on census statistics relative to the foreign born and the native white of foreign or mixed parentage. Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office. p. 380. Retrieved 2014-11-25.
  2. ↑ American Guide Series (1940). Maryland: A Guide to the Old Line State. United States: Federal Writers' Project. OCLC 814094.
  3. ↑ "Immigration and the 2010 Census Governor’s 2010 CensusOutreach Initiatives" (PDF). Maryland State Data Center. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Census 2010: Baltimore's fast-growing Spanishtown". BBC News. Retrieved 2014-05-12.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Race and Hispanic or Latino Origin: 2010, 2010 Census Summary File 1". American FactFinder. Retrieved 2014-05-12.
  6. ↑ "Hispanic Population in Select U.S. Metropolitan Areas, 2010". Pew Research Center. Retrieved 2014-05-14.
  7. ↑ "The Role of Immigrants in Growing Baltimore: Recommendations to Retain and Attract New Americans" (PDF). WBAL-TV. Retrieved 2014-11-02.
  8. ↑ http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_SF1_QTP10&prodType=table
  9. ↑ "Old memories in step with annual tradition". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2015-01-02.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Olesker, Michael (2001). Journeys to the Heart of Baltimore. Baltimore, Maryland: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 5. ISBN 0801867541. Retrieved 2014-05-12.
  11. ↑ "Can Baltimore Woo Immigrants?". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2014-05-12.
  12. ↑ "Baltimore puts out welcome mat for immigrants, hoping to stop population decline". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2014-05-12.
  13. ↑ "Best Neighborhood: Upper Fells Point". Baltimore City Paper. September 20, 2006. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
  14. ↑ Andrew Scherr. "Spanish Town". Urbanite Baltimore. Archived from the original on 2013-12-12. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Baltimore's Greektown". USA Today. Retrieved 2014-05-12.
  16. ↑ "El Nuevo Baltimore". Urbanite Baltimore Magazine. Archived from the original on 2014-05-12. Retrieved 2014-05-12.
  17. ↑ "New migration: Latinos move farther east to open Baltimore businesses". Baltimore Business Journal. Retrieved 2014-05-12.
  18. ↑ Tilghman, Mary K. (2008). Insiders' Guide to Baltimore. Guilford, Connecticut: Insiders' Guide. p. 210. ISBN 9780762745531. Retrieved 2014-05-12.
  19. ↑ Blanca Torres (May 24, 2005). "A bilingual newspaper looks to provide Baltimore Latinos with information on Hispanic culture and the issues affecting them.". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2014-05-12.
  20. ↑ "Latino media outlets finally find a market in Baltimore". Baltimore Business Journal. Retrieved 2014-05-12.
  21. ↑ "Health disparities found for Baltimore Latinos". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2014-05-12.
  22. ↑ "Struggling with A Population Decline, Baltimore Pins Its Hopes On Immigrants". Fox News Latino. Retrieved 2014-05-12.

Further reading

External links

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