Juan Crow, or racial discrimination practices against Mexicanos in the United States, was very prevalent in the Southwest. Institutionalized discrimination ran throughout the school system, the political system, and the labor market. Mexicanos were systematically discriminated against and dehumanized. The simple existence of Mexican ward schools and laws preventing Spanish from being spoken in school showed the intensity of the discrimination faced by Mexicanos in Texas. On the related pages, interviewers share their experiences about living under Juan Crow in Texas.
“You know, ran away from home, was gonna go rent an apartment, and I had a little friend of mine who was… you know, your short, dark Mexican and we were knocking on the door to rent an apartment, and he looked at us and he [apartment complex owner] said, “I don’t rent to your kind” and slammed the door in our face.” – Renny Rosas
¡Viva La Raza! 